From staff reports
The renovation of Newman Park remains in the planning stages.
Fundraising efforts won’t begin until 2009, and the earliest target date for the beginning of construction is next August.
That means both the Catawba baseball season this spring and the American Legion season next summer will be played at the existing Newman Park.
– Rob Lyerly update
Madison Mallards outfielder Rob Lyerly was named to the Northwoods League All-Star team.
Lyerly led the wood bat league in hitting (.342) and was second in the league in RBIs (48), hits (78) and doubles (19). Lyerly set franchise records for RBIs and doubles.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Lyerly, a rising junior at Charlotte, hit .364 with 15 homers and 76 RBIs for the 49ers last season after transferring from Campbell.
He played high school ball at Piedmont in Union County. His father is former East Rowan and Pfeiffer player Robert Lyerly.
– Knights lose
Richmond’s Brent Lillibridge hit a three-run homer to lift Richmond to a 4-2 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday.
– Intimidators win
The Kannapolis Intimidators scored three times in the seventh inning and rallied for a 5-3 win at Asheville on Tuesday.
Sergio Miranda hit a two-run homer for the Intimidators.
– Rowan Rampage
The Rowan Rampage plays host to the Thomasville Titans Saturday at Knox Middle School at 4 p.m.
Gates open at 2:30.
Admission is $6 for 16-up and $3 for ages 10-16. Admission is free for children under 10 and for anyone bringing three or more items of school supplies.
The Rampage (3-0) is in a four-way tie for first place.
– West scrimmage
West Rowan’s football team started hitting people wearing different uniforms on Tuesday.
The Falcons, who have won 45 games and four NPC championships during the past four seasons, played host to 4A West Forsyth of the CPC.
“It was pretty even, a real good test and a good starting point for us because West Forsyth is good,” Falcons coach Scott Young said. “I was impressed with their team speed.”
Young was pleased with his team’s perimeter runs and pass protection. He was disappointed with his team’s inside running game and its “lack of passion on defense.”
“West Forsyth played with a lot more emotion defensively than we did,” Young said.
West is at Thomasville for another tough scrimmage on Friday.
– South-North scrimmage
South Rowan coach Jason Rollins is optimistic the program can challenge for its first winning season since 2003, and the Raiders unveiled their triple-option attack against North Rowan at Eagle Stadium on Tuesday.
“Still lots of kinks to work out, but we had a lot of big gains, and the kids played well from (senior running back) Josh Wike on down,” Rollins said. “Defensively, we got after it pretty good.”
Rollins said junior quarterback Blake Houston made nice reads out of the triple option. Senior Reid Shaver, who also has been getting reps at quarterback, played mostly linebacker.
Both teams avoided major injuries.
Rollins was impressed with North’s athleticism and defense.
“I know (new coach) Tasker Fleming, and he’s in a tough position with the time thing and the late start and it’s not easy to play catch- up,” Rollins said. “But Tasker will do a great job. I thought North looked really stout on defense, especially when we went to game situations.”
* North scrimmages at home again on Friday against West Stanly.
* South is the host team for a major jamboree on Friday at 7 p.m.
Monroe, Central Cabarrus, East Gaston, Porter Ridge and North Stanly will join the Raiders at Donnell Stadium.
Admission is $2.
– Labor Day golf
The field for the annual Labor Golf Tournament at the Country Club of Salisbury will be decided this week.
The entry deadline has been set for Friday. The entry fee is $50 for club members and $90 for non-club members.
The field for the tourney, which will be played Aug. 30-Sept. 1 will be made up of 120 teams.
Practice will begin today for the two-man teams and continue through Thursday. Teams must obtain starting times and register at the pro shop before teeing off.
The semifinals in the championship flight and finals in other flights will be held Monday morning, Sept. 1. The finals in the championship will be played the afternoon of Sept. 1.
– Ladies golf
Cindy Carmazzi, Faye Cline, Beverly Cobb and Virginia Saintsing took first place in a Texas Scramble event at Corbin Hills on Tuesday.
Lucy Brown, Mary Seaford and Joy Maughmer finished second.
– Lowe’s race
Jordan Anderson, 17, won Tuesday night’s Quaker Steak & Lube Summer Shootout Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Anderson claimed his second consecutive championship in the Pull-A-Part Legends Car Pro division.