SportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue recap the weekend that was in the NFL with the NFC and AFC Conference Championship Games. The guys also talk about the upcoming college basketball game between the #2 Duke Blue Devils as they host N.C. State. That and much more on SportsTalk!
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SportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
On Tuesday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) released their second draft for the reorganization on conference play, also known as conference realignment. The Association released their first draft of conference realignment back on December 18th. Although these drafts are not final, they give a good idea of what the final product will look like when it comes to who will play who in conference play. The third draft is expected to be released next month, while the final draft will be releases later in the spring. Also, Ohio State may have won College Football’s National Title, but is it outright or is it a Shared National Title? WIZS’s Scout Hughes and George Hoyle talked all about it on Wednesday’s edition of SportsTalk.
Below are the Conference Realignments for teams in Vance County and the surrounding counties:
6A/7A Conference B
1A/2A Conference C
5A Conference 2
3A/4A Conference A
1A Conference 2
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SportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Henderson Native, Nora Lynn Finch joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and George Hoyle to talk about her career as a Coach, Administrator, and Mentor throughout all of her success.
Picture from theacc.com
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SportsTalk 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Debra Medlin, Head Coach of Kerr-Vance Volleyball, and her team joined Scout Hughes and George Hoyle on SportsTalk to speak on the State Championship Ring Presentation today at Kerr-Vance Academy. Coach Medlin and her team also talk about this past season, what it mean to them, and what’s coming up for not just volleyball, but athletics as a whole at Kerr-Vance Academy.
Coach Medlin and her team at the State Championship Ring Presentation at Kerr-Vance Academy. Picture from Kerr-Vance Academy Facebook Page.
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m.
Scout Hughes and George Hoyle talk about mainly Wake Forest University and Wake Forest Athletics before the Demon Deacons left for Winston-Salem in 1956. The guys also speak on other historic college athletic venues in North Carolina. That and much more on SportsTalk!
The Demon Deacons attempt a kick at Groves Stadium in Wake Forest, NC during the 1950 edition of the Wake Forest-N.C. State Football Rivalry. The game would result in a 6-6 tie. Picture from the Wake Forest Historical Museum and wakeforestmuseum.org.
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue recap the weekend that was in the NFL, as pro football moves into the postseason. The guys also give their picks for college football action coming up this week. That and much more on SportsTalk!
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has released their First Draft of Conference Realignment which will take effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 School Year. This realignment will determine what schools play who in conference play. Scout Hughes and Doc Ayscue talked all about it on Wednesday’s edition of SportsTalk.
In addition to conference realignment, the NCHSAA will be adding classifications, from 1A-4A, to 1A-8A. Based on the attendance numbers that came out in November, Vance County will be 6A, Henderson Collegiate will be 2A, and Vance Charter will be 1A.
The following are conferences that include teams from Vance County and the surrounding areas that the NCHSAA laid out in their first draft:
6A/7A Conference C
5A Conference 1
3A/4A Conference A
1A/2A Conference D
1A Conference 3
These conferences are not set in stone as this is just the first draft that the Realignment Committee of the NCHSAA has come up with. The final draft will come out sometime in the spring. But these conference could give a good idea of what the conference could be when they are finalized. In the meantime, we at WIZS will keep you posted on all things conference realignment in North Carolina High School Athletics.
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
The Thanksgiving Day Game for the Henderson High School Football Team used to be an annual tradition. According to research done by WIZS, the Bulldogs played in five Thanksgiving Day Games. Winning four of them and losing one. Scout Hughes and George Hoyle speak on the history of the Thanksgiving Day Games that Henderson High School played in. That and much more on SportsTalk!
“Amy Snyder, curator of collections & archivist, at the Museum of Regional History in Mount Airy told WIZS she received this picture from the Mount Airy football coach at the time, Coach Wally Shelton’s wife Christine.”
Below are the results of the Thanksgiving Day Games that the Bulldogs played in:
Thank you to those who called into today’s show as well for your information.
Reminder: No SportsTalk on Thanksgiving for the Holiday.
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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
Although Vance County fell in this year’s playoffs, Vance County Football Head Coach Aaron Elliott says that there are a lot of good things to take away from the 2024 football season, as well as a lot of good things to look forward to next season, Coach said on WIZS’s SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and George Hoyle.
Vance County lost to Western Alamance 36-31 in the first round of the North Carolina 3A State Playoffs. It was still a fantastic football season from the Vipers in which they went 9-2, the second year in a row in which Vance County won nine games. This season marks the third 9-win season since consolidation.
Head Coach Aaron Elliott said at the beginning of the season that triangle football is more than just Raleigh and Durham he said that includes Henderson too and the Vipers proved that this season. Vance County went two and one against team specifically from Raleigh and Durham, and when seven and one versus teams from the Research Triangle area.
When talking about this season, Head Coach Aaron Elliott spoke highly of his 14 seniors. Rightfully so! This senior class has a combined record of 19-3 over the past 2 years. This is a special senior class that has broken many records this season. Between 2023 and 2024, this team has reached new heights that Vance County hasn’t seen in a while. A 10-1 season in 2023, the first 10-win season by a team from Vance County since Southern Vance achieved that mark in 2007, when the Raiders went 13-2.
Changes are coming though, in more ways than one. Coach Elliott says that he is excited for what is to come when the new kids move up to Varsity from JV. Coach Elliott also states that new coaches are looking to be on his staff next year. But there is one major change coming next year and not just for Vance County but for the state of North Carolina. High School athletics are changing from four to eight classifications. Admission numbers were released and finalized earlier this week and Vance County will be a 6A school going forward. Head Coach Aaron Elliott is excited for what’s to come and has already had conversations with the Vance County Athletic Director about realignment, “Philip Weil and I have had talks about realignment but really we are going to have to wait and see as to where we are placed in terms of what conference we will be in.”
In the meantime though, we want to thank Vance County High School for allowing WIZS to broadcast their football games this season. We will be right back next season for more Vance County Friday Night Football on WIZS. Until then, GO VIPERS!
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The Vance County High School Vipers didn’t go as deep into the playoffs as they had hoped, but a third year with nine wins or more is evidence that Coach Aaron Elliott is not just putting together a team – he’s building a program.
The 17-seed Vipers traveled to 16-seed Western Alamance Friday night for the first round of 3A state playoffs, but came up short and lost 36-31.
Doc Ayscue and WIZS’s Scout Hughes agreed that it was one of those back-and-forth games and whichever team had the ball last would come away with the W. “They were right there ‘til the end,” Ayscue said. “It was one of the best high school games I’ve seen.” When the winning score is made with 12 seconds left, you know it’s a tight game, he said on Monday’s SportsTalk.
Vipers Senior Javion Vines-holder made the highlight reel when he took a kickoff return 95 yards for a TD.
Western Alamance staff apparently had done their homework and were trying to keep the ball out of Vines-holder’s hands. But after the kicker had put the ball on the tee and turned his back to get ready for the kickoff, Vines-holder and teammate Tyler Wheeler switched places, so the ball went to Vines-holder and he took off for the end zone.
Ayscue said Western Alamance’s #5, James Newton, was the best player the Vipers faced all season. Newton rushed for 151 yards and scored five touchdowns Friday night.
“It’s hard to tell on film how quick he is, how fast he is – he had that quick acceleration,” Ayscue said.
For the season, three Vipers rushed for more than 500 yards. Senior Jontavious Nile ran for 1,237 yards and had 69 rushing yards against Western Alamance.
Then there’s Antoine Doyle, Jr, who racked up more than 500 yards in receptions.
“He’s a terrific athlete – offense and defense,” Ayscue said. When the play was “jet down the field and we’re going to throw it as far as we can,” it was Doyle’s number that was usually called.
But it was Vines-holder who, going into the game Friday, was tied for first place among all public high schools in the state for most interceptions. He had eight interceptions – but not in his role as quarterback – these interceptions are the kind that coaches like to see their defense make.
Ayscue said last season Coach Elliott regarded Vines-holder as possibly the best defensive back on the team. Then he took over as quarterback this season, Ayscue said, and became a great contributor on offense, too.
“He did it on both sides of the ball,” Ayscue said. Staff would “sneak him in (on defense) on obvious pass situations,” he added. “He did a great job – not just intercepting balls…he would chase (opponents) down and tackle them before they got too much” yardage.
Viper Senior Taeshawn Alston, who committed to play football at the University of South Carolina back in June, is the lone Viper whose season is extended by one game – Alston will represent Vance County and North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. That game takes place in Spartanburg, SC on Dec. 21. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th
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