From staff reports
Livingstone has signed 20 football recruits, including 13 from North Carolina.
“In 2007, we started recruiting immediately when the season was over,” Livingstone head coach Lamonte Massie said. “That resulted in six All-CIAA Freshmen and a much more competitive team. This year, same plan, same great results. This class is just as outstanding as the 2008 class.”
Livingstone landed four DBs, two defensive ends and a touted junior college linebacker. The Blue Bears signed 11 on offense ó three receivers, two running backs, one quarterback and five linemen, including Carson’s D.J. Safrit. Special teams added a kicker and long snapper.
“We are visiting high schools that never saw a Blue Bear coach,” Massie said. ”
Livingstone now turns its attention to talented guys who slipped the cracks.
“For Division II, the best recruiting is after the big boys and super-popular Division II programs do their signings,” Massie said. “We are out there competing every day. We lost pretty good kids to some very good programs so I know we are headed in the right direction. We are almost there. When you have Catawba on one side and J.C. Smith on the other, you better get up early and work late, then put your sales hat on.”
Livingstone expects 32 players to return from a 3-7 squad, including 13 starters.
A list of Blue Bear recruits is in Scoreboard.
– Livingstone hoops
Ryan Scott hit seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points to lead J.C. Smith to a 68-62 CIAA victory against Livingstone at Brayboy Gym on Thursday.
Santonio Springs had 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Blue Bears (11-12). Tayloe Taylor scored 12 points.
– Pfeiffer hoops
Pfeiffer’s men’s basketball team reached the century mark for the 10th time this season with a 103-91 Conference Carolinas victory against Queens at Merner Gym on Thursday. The Falcons (13-9) got a 32-point outing from Chris Woods. James Crowder added 20 points.
The Falcons average 96.2 points a game, second in D-II.
– Prep basketball
Katelynne Poole scored 16 points to lead East Rowan’s girls to a 49-31 victory at West Iredell on Wednesday.
Olivia Rankin scored 11 points for the Mustangs and Ashley Collins 10.
East’s girls (16-7) are seeded third for the NPC tournament. East plays at home against No. 6 West Iredell on Tuesday.
Unless East wins the tournament, it will be on the road for the first round of the state playoffs.
* East’s boys endured a scoreless second quarter and an eight-point first half and were flattened 68-41 by West Iredell on Wednesday. Brian Grohman led the Mustangs with 10 points. Quan Rucker had 23 for the Warriors.
East’s seventh-seeded boys are home tonight for an NPC tournament play-in game against No. 10 North Iredell. If East wins tonight, it will play at Lake Norman or West Rowan on Monday. East has to win the NPC tournament to make the state playoffs.
In other play-in games tonight, Statesville’s boys are at West Iredell, Carson’s girls are at West Rowan, and the Northwest Cabarrus girls are at North Iredell.
* In the CCC, Salisbury’s boys shoot for a perfect conference season and their 23rd straight win at second-place Providence Grove, which lost to the Hornets in overtime in Salisbury.
* North Rowan is home against Lexington tonight. Neither North team will make the state playoffs unless it wins the CCC tournament.
* NPC tournament semifinals and finals will be played at West Iredell next week, while Central Davidson is the host team for the CCC semifinals and finals.
* If A.L. Brown’s boys are the No. 3 team from the SPC, they’ll be heading to Lake Norman or West Rowan in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
– Jayvee basketball
Dejoun Jones scored 25 points to lead Salisbury’s boys to a 66-55 win against Ledford.
Tion McCain added 14 and Deshaun Taylor 11 for the Hornets (15-3, 11-2).
– The Salisbury girls fell to Ledford 38-36. Najwa Allison scored 14 points and Doreen Richardson 13 for the Hornets (14-2, 9-2).
– Prep wrestling
Wrestling individual regionals start today.
Salisbury and North Rowan wrestlers will compete in the 1A-2A Mideast Regional at Ledford.
Carson, West Rowan, South Rowan and East Rowan wrestlers will compete in the 3A West Regional at St. Stephens.
A.L. Brown grapplers are in the 3A Midwest Regional at High Point Andrews, while Davie wrestlers will compete in the 4A Midwest Regional at Northwest Guilford.
Qualifiers are in Scoreboard.
– Women’s basketball
Livingstone lost 55-47 at J.C. Smith on Thursday.
Brittany Wright had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Blue Bears (7-16). Demetria Bell scored 19 for the Golden Bulls.
* Pfeiffer edged Queens 79-78 at Merner Gym on Thursday.
Shanee Purnell and Nicole Maready (Davie) scored 17 points each for the Falcons.
* N.C. State’s Shayla Fields (Salisbury) scored 22 points and had five rebounds in 59-51 victory against Wake Forest on Thursday at Reynolds Coliseum.
– 7th-grade hoops
Erwin’s girls beat China Grove 33-21 on Thursday to stay unbeaten.
Erwin (5-0, 4-0) was led by Karleigh Wike with 16 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Lauren Thomas had nine points, seven steals and six rebounds. Josie McNeely had six points and six steals. Kendall Brown stole the ball six times.
China Grove (3-3, 2-2) was paced by Lynsey Corriher with seven points. Katie Cole scored six, and Madison Weast added five.
* China Grove’s boys nipped Erwin 28-25 for their first win.
The Red Devils got a combined 31 points from Eric Goldston (16) and Shawn Spry (15). Tyler Fuller added six points for the winners, who made four 3-pointers.
Donte Means hit three 3-pointers and led Erwin (0-5, 0-4) with nine points. He also had seven steals and three assists. Calvin Edwards grabbed seven rebounds and had three steals. Chase Brown had five boards.
– Catawba swimming
Catawba swim teams are competing in the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships at Mecklenburg Aquatic Center through Saturday.
– Hurley YMCA
The Jr. NBA/WNBA Skill Challenge will be held Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Call John Peterson at 704-636-0111 to pre-register.
– Spencer Little League
Spencer Little League is still accepting sign-ups for all baseball and softball leagues.
Contact William Noles at 704-633-0151 or Chris Fries at 704-637-2766 for information.