From staff reports
The Baltimore Ravens signed tight end Aaron Walker and cut fourth-string quarterback Brad Roach, a rookie out of Catawba, earlier this week before the start of training camp.
Roach went undrafted following a stellar career at Catawba and signed with the Ravens as a free agent. They already have two experienced quarterbacks (Kyle Boller and Troy Smith) to go along with first-round draft pick Joe Flacco.
Walker, a fifth-round pick by San Francisco in 2003, has 25 catches in three seasons with the 49ers and St. Louis. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last season as a member of the Rams.
– Junior Legion wins
Rowan County’s Junior American Legion team beat Southwest Brunswick 11-9 in the first round of the state tournament in Kinston on Wednesday.
Rowan (24-4) broke a 4-4 tie, took an 11-4 lead and then held on.
“Kinda ugly,” coach Brian Hightower said. “We made more errors than we’ve been making.”
Will Johnson (5-1) was the winning pitcher. Justin Morris earned a save.
Alex Litaker hit a two-run homer. Will Sapp had a bases-clearing double for Rowan.
– East-West football
The East scored three touchdowns in the final 7 minutes, 43 seconds and whipped the West 27-3 in the East-West All-Star Football Game at Jamieson Stadium on Wednesday.
The game was delayed for 75 minutes at the start by rain and lightning.
The East settled for a 6-0 halftime lead on a 9-yard TD run by Travis Daniels in the first quarter.
The West got within 6-3 in the third quarter on Justin Matis’ 25-yard field goal, but it never could muster any substantial offense.
The West rushed 33 times for 33 yards, and A.L. Brown QB Jonathan Efird was 5-for-11 passing for 32 yards.
The East pulled away in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run by Jamere Pugh, a backbreaking 57-yard punt return for a score by Marquan Brown and 30-yard TD burst by Michael Adams.
Catawba signee LaKeem Perry had a sack and was in on six tackles, including three primary hits, for the East. Catawba signee Holt Rains started at tight end for the East.
The West team was also stingy defensively, permitting only 6 passing yards and 83 rushing yards.
West Rowan’s Justin Avery started in the defensive backfield. He had a 22-yard kickoff return and was in on three tackles for the West.
– Intimidators rained out
The Kannapolis Intimidators were rained out on Wednesday at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium.
The Intimidators (15-15) were washed out against Savannah (14-17) in a doubleheader, and the games will likely not be made up. The teams won’t meet again this season.
The Intimidators start an eight-game road trip Friday in Lakewood against the BlueClaws.
Kannapolis is back home Aug. 2 against Hagerstown to begin an eight-game homestand. Call 704-932-FANS for tickets.
– Minor leagues
Zach Ward (A.L. Brown) pitched two scoreless innings for Double-A New Britain in its 4-3 loss to Reading on Wednesday.
Ward was on the mound for the seventh and eighth innings. He struck out four, allowed one hit and walked one.
* Jerry Sands (Catawba) went 1-for-4 and scored one run for the Gulf Coast Dodgers in their 6-5 loss to the Cardinals’ affiliate.
– Coastal Plain League
Asheboro’s Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) went 2-for-3, including a three-run homer, to win Offensive Player of the Game honors in Tuesday’s CPL All-Star Game at McCrary Park.
Asheboro’s Alex Fairweather (Catawba) pitched one scoreless inning in the All-Star Game. Asheboro’s Ryan Query (A.L. Brown, Catawba) was 0-for-1, and Forest City’s Wade Moore (West Rowan) was 0-for-3.
– Carolina Heat
The Carolina Heat 10-under baseball team finished first and second in its last two tournaments.
The Heat lost the championship game in extra innings in Thomasville’s Chair City Open.
The Heat also finished 4-1 to take first place in the Carolina Summer Challenge in Charlotte.
The Heat is out of China Grove. Players include Chandler Corriher, Peyton Penninger, Tyler Rary, Cal Hubbard, Blake Johnson, Zach Tatarka, Brennan Lambert, Andy Lear, Austin Lear, Colby Harrington, Sawyer Strickland and Seth Hollar.
The Heat next travels to Huntersville for a tournament on Aug. 9.
– Kannapolis all-stars
The 10-under Kannapolis all-star team finished first out of seven teams in the Harrisburg All-Star Tournament.
Players include Tyler Hendley, Hunter Smith, Tristan Wyatt, Ryan Ashworth, Cody Whitaker, Cameron Rodgers, Adam Barrows, Kellen Corson and Damon Johnson. The coaches are Jeff Wyatt, Tim Smith, Eddie Ashworth and Todd Hendley.
– Home-school football
The Cabarrus Stallions jayvee and varsity football teams will begin practice Monday at Dorton Park in Concord at 6 p.m.
The team will compete in the Pioneer Football League team and is open to home school and private school boys ages 12-18.
Registration is still open. Contact Tracey Browning at 704-213-6746.
– East Forsyth star commits
Danny O’Brien, who passed for 1,905 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior at East Forsyth, has committed to play football for Maryland.
– Soccer ends in 0-0 tie
Four goalies ó Visili Dimopoulos and Tim Johnson for the East and Collin Taylor and Peyton Ford of the West ó combined to register the first 0-0 tie in the history of the East-West boys soccer all-star game at UNC Greensboro on Tuesday.n West girls win 1-0
MVP Lena Suarez of Hopewell scored a goal for the West in a 1-0 victory over the East in the East-West girls soccer all-star game on Tuesday.
– East Rowan soccer
Practice for East Rowan soccer begins Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. at the East practice field.
Players wishing to tryout for the team will need to bring a copy of a current physical, cleats and running shoes.
If you have any question please contact coach John McNeil at 704-279-5232, ext. 252.