Gallagher column: Notes 'n' quotes

Mayor Susan Kluttz throws out the first pitch during the dedication of North Hill's new baseball field. Photo by Ronnie Gallagher, Salisbury Post

Dedicating the North Hills baseball field are, from left, assistant coach Derek Binns, head coach Chris Price, Mayor Susan Kluttz, headmaster Matt Mitchell and athletics director Brian Cook. Photo by Ronnie Gallagher, Salisbury Post

Notes 'n' quotes ...

North Hills dedicated its new baseball field recently and it wanted someone prominent to throw out the first pitch.

How 'bout the mayor?

Susan Kluttz has had experience with athletics. She has thrown out first pitches for the minor-league team Piedmont Boll Weevils, and now the Kannapolis Intimidators. She has flipped the coin at the Mayor's Cup football game between Catawba and Livingstone.

Kluttz seemed a little nervous when she took the mound.

"Nobody told me until about 10 minutes ago," she said, "or I would've practiced."

Kluttz said before she threw out the pitch at a minor-league game years ago, she enlisted the help of little-league coaches Bud Mickle and Bryce Beard.

"It's been a long time since I've done it," Kluttz smiled. "I'm from the old school where girls throw underhanded."

Kluttz was fretting for nothing. Her throw was fine, the crowd applauded, and she walked off the mound a winner.

As did North Hills.

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With the rabid interest of Rowan County's public schools, we sometimes forget about North Hills, but it's athletic program is on the rise. The school, which has around 300 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, now has 21 sports teams. Two of the teams, the middle-school basketball, and elementary volleyball, went undefeated this year. A soccer field is being completed.

"The kids are really into sports here," said athletics director Brian Cook, a Northwest Cabarrus graduate. "It's real easy to get them to participate."

Maybe the kids work hard to succeed because they see how hard the coaches work.

When the subject of a new baseball field came up, Cook and head coach Chris Price looked for fencing. They found it in Georgia, but when they arrived, the fence was still up.

"We had to manually get it down," Price said.

They hauled it here and put it up. Over the summer they'll redo the entire infield and outfield. The backstop will be finished and dugouts are going to be added.

"I can't wait until next year," Price said.

The mayor appreciates the effort because she appreciates sports.

"It's essential for kids to get involved in sports," said Kluttz, who once started an aerobics class because her daughter didn't have a place to go.

"Right now, the city is working on youth initiatives for gang prevention," Kluttz said, adding that when ways of keeping youths out of gangs are discussed, sports and recreation are always a topic of conversation.

The excitement on the North Hills campus for the new baseball field brought a smile to her face.

"I'm really thrilled for this school," Kluttz said.

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In the public-school world, Rowan County has opened some eyes on the state scene this year.

With three individual state champions in the 3A track meet Saturday, this sports-crazed area now has six individual and two team state titles in that sport alone.

Salisbury won the team title in tennis, West in football, Salisbury in girls basketball, North's girls in track and Salisbury's boys in track.

Salisbury's Hannah Lebowitz (tennis) and Roy Dixon (golf) were also individual state champs.

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As far as the best girls soccer team in the county? No problem picking that one.

West Rowan played nine games against county opponents. The Falcons finished 9-0 with eight shutouts. They outscored those nine foes 63-1.

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But it's East Rowan that's on everyone's mind right now.

On Tuesday, it will be East Rowan and more East Rowan:

- Mike Waddell's softball team — with a record of 22-1 — plays at home against Marvin Ridge in the third round of the 3A playoffs at 5 p.m.

- Brian Hightower's baseball team — with a record of 26-2 — is playing at home against Northwest Cabarrus in the N.C. West's Final Four at 7 p.m.

Mustang Mania is alive and well. Will East continue Rowan County's state championship run? Stay tuned.

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What happened to Scotty Robinson?

The last time we mentioned the former Salisbury star and East Carolina defensive end, he was going to Cleveland for a tryout with the Browns.

Didn't work out, according to his agent, Brian Anderson.

"We got a few calls before the draft," Anderson wrote in an e-mail. "We felt he would at least get a free-agent deal but it did not happen. He is on some priority lists with some NFL clubs."

Anderson said the next step for Robinson is trying out for the Canadien Football League or the United Football League.

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Anderson said Jamelle Cuthbertson is getting a chance. The former Catawba running back has been invited to a three-day workout with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. The Alouettes won the 2009 Grey Cup.

Cuthbertson finished his Catawba career with several school records.-

You probably won't have to travel far for the North Piedmont Conference basketball tournament next year.

Word out of Carson, is that the league wants that school to play host to the event for a second straight year.

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Joe Pinyan has proven he's a winner on the football field. On the baseball field, he he's also one of the best as well.

Pinyan, a long-time umpire, has been selected to umpire one of the state title series.

Pinyan said he was unsure which one he'll be a part of.-

Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com.