Area sports briefs

From staff reports

Asked about newcomers who had the potential to play right away, Army football coach Rich Ellerson included true freshman Jon Crucitti (West Rowan) in his comments.

Said Ellerson, “There is a handful of guys – Jon Crucitti who is kind of a Mister Fix-It for us for depth in a couple positions on offense as well as in the kicking game.”n Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson listed defensive end Chris Smith (West) as a potential contributor as a true freshman.

“Eric Bennett will play for us,” Robinson said. “We feel like he’s had a great offseason and a great camp. We feel the same way about Byran Jones and Chris Smith. We feel like those two youngsters bring something to the table.”

College baseball

Appalachian State head baseball coach Chris Pollard has received a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season.

Prep soccer

Salisbury beat East Rowan 7-1 on Wednesday to stay undefeated.

Ranked second in 2A, the Hornets stormed to a 6-0 halftime lead.

“We came out with passion and clicking on all cylinders from the very first minute,” Salisbury coach Tom Sexton said. “Hard, fast and disciplined.”

Michael Mazur scored early on an assist from B.J. Woods, and Kenne Bonilla headed in a goal off a 40-yard curling pass sent his way by Matt Cervantes to make it 2-0.

Mazur’s perfect diagonal pass set up Marco Mejia for the Hornets’ third goal, and David Simons attacked out of the back and found John Grant, who drilled in a 30-yard rocket, barely a foot off the ground, for a 4-0 lead.

Woods set up Emmy Turcios for a 5-0 lead, and the Hornets made it 6-0 when Hanson Saryee’s pressure forced an errant East pass, and Turcios knocked in his second goal.

Many Salisbury’s starters sat down early in the second half. Chase Etters got the final goal for the Hornets, dispossessing an East ballhandler and beating the keeper.

Spencer Dixon was an ironman, anchoring Salisbury’s defense for 80 minutes. Connor Miler had a strong game in goal and had a shutout when he exited for the night.

“Connor was very aggressive and owned the box,” Sexton said. “He showed his mettle.”

East’s goal came off a corner. It was a nice header just out of backup keeper Banks Fisher’s reach.

“I thought East fought hard was very much improved from when we saw them in the county tournament,” Sexton said.

Carson beat North Rowan 5-0 on Wednesday. The Cavaliers are 1-3. Senior C.J. Sippel scored the first goal of his four-year varsity career for the Cougars (2-4).

South Rowan fell to 0-7 with a 7-0 loss to Central Cabarrus on Wednesday, while Davie (2-3-1) lost 3-0 to Alexander Central.

Prep volleyball

Carson’s varsity volleyball team swept East Rowan on Tuesday. The Cougars (6-2, 2-0 NPC) play today at home against West Rowan.

Prep football

Asheville Erwin quarterback Garrett Brown was named NCPreps.com Player of the Week.

Brown completed 32 of 47 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns and ran 17 times for 153 yards and two TDs in a 42-39 victory against Swannanoa C.D. Owen.

Prep cross country

Gray Stone’s cross country teams ruled a YVC meet at Albemarle’s City Lake Park.

Gray Stone’s boys posted a score of 43. Harrison Latimer led the Knights. He was second in 19:24. West Montgomery (61), South Stanly 63, North Rowan (66) and Albemarle (133) followed the Knights.

Gray Stone’s girls won with a score of 17. They outdistanced South Stanly (53), West Montgomery (90) and Albemarle (92).

Gray Stone’s Hunter Latimer was first in 23:18. Teammates Janna Featherstone (2nd, 24:41), Illa Jones (3rd, 24:43) and Jennie Wagner (4th, 24:56), and Katherine Barrows (7th, 27:46) were the other scorers.

Gray Stone competes at the East Rowan YMCA course today, along with East, North Rowan and Carson.

Parnell update

Bobby Parnell pitched a scoreless inning for the New York Mets in a 4-1 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Parnell got two quick outs on groundballs. Jason Heyward singled against Parnell but was out trying to steal second.

Minor leagues

Charleston’s Rob Lyerly (Charlotte) was named to the South Atlantic League all-star team for the 2010 season. Lyerly, a third base prospect for the New York Yankees, is batting .313 with seven homers and 70 RBIs.

Lyerly’s parents are Rowan County natives.

The Kannapolis Intimidators fell to the Delmarva Shorebirds 1-0 on Wednesday. Kannapolis’ Justin Collop (9-11) pitched a complete game in the loss.

Burlington’s Whit Merrifield (Davie) led off a game with Cedar Rapids with his fourth homer of the season on Wednesday.

Craige Lyerly (East Rowan, Catawba) had two hits for the Rays on Wednesday in a 6-3 playoff loss to the Phillies in the Gulf Coast League. Lyerly is batting .414 in the playoffs.

Corpus Christi pitcher Jeremy Johnson (Mooresville) went on the disabled list in late August. He’s 5-10 this season.

Overseas basketball

Pfeiffer graduate James Crowder signed to play pro basketball in Ireland’s Super League, the country’s top level. The 6-foot-6 Crowder signed with Dublin’s UCD-Marian.

Youth softball

The Carolina Stampede 14-under fast-pitch softball team won the AUU Summer Series tournament in Concord.

The Stampede defeated the Oakboro Stingerz 8 to 0 in the B Division championship game.

Logan Lowery pitching a two-hitter. Mariah Morgan led the offense with a .727 batting average.

The Stampede overcame a five-run deficit in a semifinal, scoring six runs with two outs to beat the MSA Cobras 6-5.

Lauren Wilson pitched five strong innings to pick up the win, and Lowery earned the save.

Team members include Emma Sellers, Morgan Peninger, Kennedy Lambert, Haley Hepburn, Taylor Wilson, Molly Shue, Katie Beach and Jana Bradshaw. Coaches are Tiffany Poole, Tim Shue, Mark Lambert and Kenny Lowery.

Stallion baseball

The GCAA Stallions home school baseball program is holding its fall organizational meeting for all returning players on Monday, Sept. 13, from 6-8 p.m. at the south campus of the Rowan Public Library.

The meeting is also open to all home school boys in Rowan, Cabarrus and surrounding counties from grades 6-12.

Contact the Stallions at gcaastallions@yahoo.com or call the baseball director at 704-639-9910.

South Y program

South Rowan YMCA is accepting registrations through Sept. 4 for its fall soccer and flag football leagues.

Leagues are for boys and girls grades K-8. Practice starts week of Sept. 13 and games begin Sept. 25.

Cost is $36 for members and $60 for potential members.

Contact Gary Earnhardt at South Rowan YMCA at 704-857-7011.