Tag Archive for: #sportstalk

SportsTalk: Vance Charter Womens Soccer Heads To Playoffs

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In only his second year at the helm of the Vance Charter Knights Women’s Soccer team, Coach Johnny Yount has his team in the playoffs. While he’s happy they are in the playoffs, he is aware that work is still to be done to get the team where he wants them to be. “We need to be passing better, and we have had low energy,” Yount said of his team.  The Knight’s regular season record is 6-8-3 overall and 4-5-1 in the conference. That puts them at 12th in Division 1 A East. “That’s not exactly where we want to be,” Yount said of their current position.

Throughout the season the team has relied on seniors Riley Fuller and Makenzie Montgomery. Fuller, who is playing on a bad knee, will likely have to have surgery at some point. In addition to the senior leadership, the Knights have also had solid play from freshmen Katherine Suther and Sarah Ranes. That solid play contributed to 0-0 game against the powerful North Carolina School of Science and Math. That game is one that Young points to as a highlight of the season.

One of Yount’s big keys is sportsmanship. Win, lose or draw, Yount wants his players to be able to hold their heads high. That sportsmanship will likely help these students with the lessons they learn in life long after they leave the playing field.

At this point, it might feel like they have left the playing field since they haven’t played a game in three weeks. Due to the playoff schedule changing, it has meant that the Knights have only been able to practice. With spring break, prom and the end of the school year approaching, Yount says it’s a challenge to keep kids focused. The team has been practicing three days a week and considered attempting to schedule some additional games during the layoff but a fear of risking injury in a meaningless game just prior to the playoffs made the decision not to play easier.

The break from the field will only last a couple more days. “We hope to have a home game on Monday,” Yount said on today’s SportsTalk with George Hoyle and John C. Rose.  The Knights have yet to find out who the opposition will be but should know very soon.

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SportsTalk: KVA Looking For A Fifth Baseball State Championship

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The last four years has found the Kerr Vance Academy Spartans baseball team standing on top of the heap at the end of the year.  Four state championships is quite the accomplishment for any team in any sport but KVA and Head Baseball Coach Mike Rigsbee are ready to climb to the top again this season.  Rigsbee’s team posted a 10-5 regular season record and a 3-3 conference record.  With a double bye going into the playoffs, KVA won’t know until late Thursday who they will play in the playoffs or when they will play for that matter.  The weather forecast isn’t looking good for a possible Saturday game so if the weather turns foul, pardon the pun, then another time will have to be found. If the weather cooperates KVA will play at home.

Coach Rigsbee is happy so far.  He said, “I’m very pleased with how the team is progressing.” He relies on his seniors to power the Spartans to victory.  One of those seniors, Shane Musselman, leads the state with .571 batting average. Rigsbee has worked with many of his seniors since 7th grade and that experience helps KVA when facing bigger schools like Rocky Mount, which is undefeated this season.  Rigsbee says playing tougher opponents during the regular season keeps his team sharp. “We say ‘Don’t take a pitch off’,” Rigsbee said. That also applies to those who are on the bench because, as Rigsbee says, you never know when you will be called upon to get into the game.

KVA is coming off a 5-4 loss to Halifax Academy but have won 5 of their last 6 games. He gives much credit for the continued success of KVA’s program to the support his team and school receive from the community and also says local youth programs have helped KVA over the years.

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Vipers Head For State Playoffs

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Dixon High School in Onslow County will be taking to the road for their first round state playoff softball matchup against the Vance Co. Vipers.  The Vipers have had a long road as well but not because of travel. The team, coached by Jordan Garrett Wilder, got off to a slow start but built momentum as the season as moved along. At one point the Vipers put together a five game winning streak finishing the regular season with an 8-6 record overall and 7-2 in the conference finishing second to South Granville.  The game, which will be played in Henderson, is scheduled to start at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.

“We are hoping for a good practice and be ready for tomorrow’s game,” Wilder said.  The final regular season game was to have happened Friday night but was canceled due to the weather. An extra day off may help the Vipers to be ready for the contest against Dixon.

Wilder said her seniors, such as Madison Ayscue and Jasmine Richardson, have been a big reason why the Vipers have been successful this season. “She can play anywhere you put her,” Wilder said of Richardson. She not only leads the team in batting average but also has 15 stolen bases to her credit this year.  Richardson’s ability to play anywhere will help the Vipers tomorrow as the team suffered an injury in a game last week against South Granville when an infielder got cleated and will miss 10 days.

Seniors are not the only reason the Vipers qualified for the playoffs.  Wilder also spoke of the success that sophomore pitcher Blake Vick has had this year. Vick has racked up over 100 strike outs this season.

Wilder said the team’s slow start was due to some players  never having played the sport but she was looking for athletes that could grasp the rules and the game.  She and her staff have taken those players and crafted them into a winning program. One that is getting noticed too.  Even the coaches at South Granville told Wilder the Vipers are heading in the right direction.

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SportsTalk: Vance Charter Lacrosse Prepares For State Playoffs

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Three years ago there was no varsity lacrosse team at Vance Charter. Their first season consisted of only four games and their second season was only eight games, but this year the Knights won the conference championship. It’s also been a bit of a family affair for the school. The lacrosse team is coached by Dennis Sandlin, his son, Dan Sandlin, is an assistant coach, and sophomore Gavyn Sandlin is one of the team’s leaders. “It’s nice to have it all in the family,” Dan Sandlin said on Thursday’s SportsTalk on WIZS at 12:30 p.m.

Team leaders Gavyn Sandlin and Ryan Parker have both scored over 100 points this season with Sandlin being number one in the entire state and Parker tied for second. “They wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t for the rest of the team,” Dan Sandlin said. He credits much of the Knights’ success to players committing to off season leagues during the summer and winter months. The commitment has paid off this season and Dan Sandlin thinks the team in now peaking at the right time as they start the state playoffs on Tuesday.

Wednesday night the Knights finished off the regular season with non-conference opponent Seaforth High School, and the Knights won 16-11 and finished the regular season with a 13-6 record. According to Dan Sandlin, the victory was the team’s most complete game.

One of the keys to why the Knights have been so successful is the mindset the team has. “We are all in all the time,” Dan Sandlin says and that has caught on with the rest of the team. “I couldn’t be happier with where we are,” Sandlin added.

While things are moving in the right direction for the Knights, Sandlin would love to see growth for lacrosse in the area. It’s an expensive sport and coaches are hard to find but he still would like to see the growth come to more rural areas.

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Sharrow Stepping Down; Looks Back Over Four Years Of VCHS Athletics

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UPDATED: 4/8/22 at 6:30 p.m.

On Friday, April 8, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director of Vance County High School Joe Sharrow announced via his personal Facebook page that he was stepping down from his position. Just the day prior, Sharrow joined WIZS SportsTalk to reflect on the first four years of VCHS as an institution.  His announcement and the story written of his memories of recent years continues below.

If there were five highlights from the past four years in your job or profession what would they be? This question was asked of Vance County High School’s Assistant Principle and Athletic Director on Thursday’s SportsTalk. He didn’t waste anytime coming up with those five things either. Sharrow’s first highlight was the Vipers’ 2018 men’s and women’s basketball season. “That was a turning point at bringing the school together,” Sharrow said. 2018 was the first season after the consolidation of Northern and Southern Vance high schools. Both girls and boys won a conference championship that year and made a strong run in the playoffs.  “It was a special season,” according to Sharrow.

The second highlight to make the list was being able to work with basketball coach Wilton Baskett for his final two seasons. Baskett won his 400th game while coaching at Vance County High School. “He was two steps ahead of everyone,” Sharrow said of Baskett.

Sharrow’s third highlight was the football team. While the Viper’s have had ups and downs on the gridiron, Sharrow points to the team making the playoffs two of the last three seasons. “We are looking to get over that next hump,” Sharrow said. That next hump would be a victory against Southern Durham, which has been the best team in the conference. The Vipers already have the game circled on next season’s football schedule.

Fourth on Sharrow’s list is Amani Foster. She started her high school volleyball career at Northern Vance and finished at Vance County as the holder of four state records including the all time leader in kills. She is the only volleyball player in the state to ever reach 2000 kills. “She is a once in a generation player,” Sharrow said.

Lastly on the list was the Viper’s victory over an undefeated South Granville softball team who were coming off a championship run.

Sharrow also gave an honorable mention of sorts to the volleyball team’s 2018 playoff win against East Duplin which was the school’s first ever playoff win in any sport.

In addition to working as athletic director, Sharrow also is an assistant principal. Being in that position has allowed Sharrow to work on the bigger picture for Vance County High School such as organizing the Weights and Conditioning classes that helps athletes. “We have more kids in the weight room now than anytime in the last ten years,” Sharrow said.  As an assistant principal he is able to help athletes with the NCAA Clearing House and help them prepare for an atletic career at the college level.

Sharrow also says he has a dream of establishing a Vance County Sports Hall of Fame. Sharrow said if that were to happen Amani Foster would be one who should be recognized as Sharrow called Foster “The greatest athlete to ever come from Vance County.”

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Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Vance High School Begins Search For New Football Coach

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Last season saw the Vance Co. High School Vipers football team reach the state playoffs and were looking to more great seasons with Coach Wilbur Pender at the controls but that all changed this week with the announcement that Pender is retiring from education to spend more time with his family.  The school’s athletic director, Joe Sharrow, said players and everyone at the school was shocked and disappointed at Pender’s decision but understood his need to spend more time with his family.

It’s been the same story the last several seasons at Vance Co. High School as the last four coaches have stayed one season before moving on to another school, or in Pender’s case, retiring.  Sharrow did say that because of the football team’s success finding a new coach will be somewhat easier this off season and they hope to have someone in place before the school year is out. “There is interest from high level coaches,” Sharrow said.  “We want someone who is the right fit who will commit themselves and who will stick around,” Sharrow continued. “Where are the Wilton Basketts, the Randy Long’s, the Dave Jennings, or the Mark Perry’s?” Sharrow asked, referencing previous coaches who spent many years in their positions at Northern and Southern Vance and Vance Co. High School.

And while the school’s football program has had success this past season Sharrow is looking for a coach to build on that success. The school’s athletic programs are still recovering from the pandemic and struggled to find enough students to field teams which is only now returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Sharrow says he is now just building a team to search for the new coach which will include Principal Rey Horner. Sharrow also said the players will be consulted.  They will give him feedback on what has worked for them with previous coaches and with any luck Sharrow and his search team will find someone who is qualified and will commit to continuing to improve the Vance County Vipers football program.

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Crossroads Christian School

SportsTalk: John Eason Jr. Letter Of Intent Signing

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“I’m not going to play against him” was one of the comments John Eason Sr. had about his son, John Eason Jr.  The younger Eason will be playing next season at Central Carolina Community College now that he is wrapping up his senior season at Crossroads Christian. He signed his letter of intent at the school today (Wednesday) continuing a journey that began when the senior Eason taught him how to hold a basketball over his head at age five.

“He feels like a son to me,” Crossroads basketball coach Scottie Richardson said. “He’s one of those guys you love to have in the locker room,” Richardson continued. Richardson said Eason does the little things needed to win and described him as a team player. Eason started the season on the bench but by the end of the season he had worked his way into the starting lineup.

Central Carolina Community College coach Lamont Whitaker was on hand for the signing and said his interest in Eason stemmed from a call from Richardson who told him there was someone he needed to see. Whitaker watched Eason play three times when he decided he had seen enough and felt Eason was someone Central Carolina needed. “He has the physique. He gets after it and gets rebounds,” Whitaker said of what he saw in those three games. Eason was also impressed by Central Carolina as he liked the atmosphere, the school and the campus.

While the senior Eason may have helped him learn the moves and skills of being a basketball player, his mother was not about to be left out of helping her son either.  Beverly Eason also played basketball and played with her son. She tried to help him with his hook shot hoping he would be as good at it as the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar but she joked that her son hasn’t quite got the shot down to her satisfaction yet.

John Eason Sr. also said that the education side of college is equally as important as basketball. “Get the book work together and you can go anywhere you want to go.”

Before Eason signed his letter of intent he told WIZS’ Trey Snide that without Crossroads Christian he wouldn’t be in the position he is now. Then with a stroke of the gold pen brought along for the occasion, Eason signed his letter of intent with thunderous applause from his team, friends and family. Congratulations to John Eason Jr. on signing to play college basketball with Central Carolina Community College.

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SportsTalk: Coach’s Corner: Henderson Collegiate Advances To Sweet 16

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For the fourth consecutive time the Henderson Collegiate men’s basketball team has made the Sweet 16. Last night Henderson Collegiate defeated West Columbus at Aycock Gym by the score of 62 – 39. The game marked the program’s 100th win and star T.J. Ragland reached the 500 point mark in his high school career. “We knew we had to wear them down,” Coach George Marshall said. “This team is super unique, we know how to win ugly,” Marshall continued.

Marshall feels the team is peaking at the right time. When you consider the team lost nine seniors from last years team then the march through the playoffs is even more impressive. Marshall also feels the team does have room for improvement citing more patience at the free throw line and the need to score a few more points. “The odds of 20 point wins from here on out are slim to none,” Marshall said. Henderson Collegiate also defeated Vance Charter School 74-41 earlier in the playoffs and those big wins are going to disappear most likely starting with tomorrow’s game against Kip Pride.  Henderson Collegiate defeated Kip Pride 68-57 back on February 5th but that was a different time.  Marshall described Kip Pride as hungry and healthy. Coach Marshall says his team has been great at finding a way to work together to get the job done.  In the first meeting with Kip Pride the team trailed by 15 going into the fourth quarter before pulling out the win.

Tomorrow’s game will be the third home game in a row during the playoff run and Marshall is looking forward to a full gym at Aycock tomorrow as Henderson Collegiate looks to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

 

 

SportsTalk: Louisburg College Hopes To Make It To The World Series

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The list of legendary college coaches in North Carolina includes the likes of Dean Smith, Jim Valvano, Mack Brown, Mike Krzyzewski, Kay Yow and many more.  One legendary coach that might get overlooked is Russell Frazier. For 40 years, from 1959 to 1999, he led the Louisburg College Hurricanes and instilled a winning tradition that the school has had since. While his school never won a national title, his teams went to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s World Series on many occasions.  Louisburg’s last trip was in 2002 but now, 20 years later, the Hurricanes have their sights set on a return to Colorado for the series.

Louisburg College Head Baseball Coach Blake Herring told our Trey Snide on SportsTalk that his players are starting to buy into the idea that the Hurricanes are strong enough this season to make a run.   “If we can get out of our league, we have a good chance to get back to the World Series,” Herring said. While he is excited at the chances the Hurricanes have he cautions, “we can’t want it more than the players.”

His team is young. All but one pitcher are freshmen. He has a new outfield and says that the left side of the infield could be the strongest part of the team. This week rain has hampered practice but it’s nowhere as bad as last season when the school had 17 games rained out.  When inclement weather keeps them off the field, he takes his players to a parking lot at the school to practice throwing and hitting. “The most stressful thing to me is playing a meteorologist,” Herring says of his job as head coach.

At 33, Herring is young and has been with the school for seven years, first as an assistant for three years before taking the head coach position four years ago. Currently the Hurricanes are 6-1 having won there last six games.

Keep up with the Hurricanes at lchurricanes.com or on You Tube at Louisburg College Official.

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SportsTalk: Lance Stallings And Vance Charter Prepare For Busy Spring

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Between National Letter of Intent signings, basketball playoffs and preparing for spring sports Lance Stallings, Athletic Director at Vance Charter, is a busy man.  Stallings says that in the last week both Logan Privett and Charlie Cooper, two stars of Vance Charter’s softball team, have had letter of intent signings and once the dust settles, about half a dozen softball players will have signed their letters of intent.

Stallings is excited that those young women will be continuing on to play college level softball but he is also excited about the school’s basketball program.  Both men’s and women’s teams are in the state playoffs.  The men’s team has never been in the state playoffs before but after a third place conference finish they qualified. “I could not be more excited,” Stallings said of Vance Charter’s mens team. They will have to take on crosstown conference rival Henderson Collegiate tonight in the first round. The women’s team will take on Eno River. Even the middle school teams are playing for conference championships

While basketball is certainly foremost on Stallings’ mind at the moment, there is more happening at the school. Baseball gets underway on Monday with Ty Breedlove in his first year as head coach. Softball and Lacrosse will get underway later next week not to mention that the golf and tennis teams will be starting their seasons very soon.

Stallings is happy but doesn’t take all the credit. “It’s a family atmosphere. Everybody pitches in and is willing to help,” he says.