From staff reports
South Rowan’s Legion team was honored at a feast at Gary’s Barbecue on Sunday.
While this will always be remembered as the summer Rowan County returned to the World Series, South also had a good year, finishing second in the Southern Division of Area III, the best regular-season showing in its 14-year history. First-year coach Michael Lowman had a 17-9 record, South’s best winning percentage (.654) to date.
Ninety attended Sunday’s banquet.
Lowman presented Caleb Shore with an engraved bat as the program’s new home run king and presented Ryan Bostian with a commemorative home plate symbolizing his breaking the program record for runs scored.
Shore hit 18 homers, while Bostian, who is transferring to Catawba, scored 105 runs.
Lowman quipped that he would go broke next year making presentations to Maverick Miles, who could break all the program’s offensive records.
– Intimidators win
The Kannapolis Intimidators rapped out a season-high 18 hits in a 7-2 win at Asheville on Sunday.
Jon Gilmore had four hits
James Albury (3-0) took a win in his third straight start, tossing five innings and giving up two runs. Dan Remenowsky got his 20th save.
– Local golf
Will Collins (Salisbury, Virginia) shot 74-73-73 ó 220 and tied for 28th in the Cardinal Amateur Golf Tournament held in Greensboro over the weekend.
– Rowan Rampage
The Rowan Rampage let a two-TD lead slip away and lost on the road to the Thomasville Titans 22-20 on Saturday night.
Rowan couldn’t generate much offense, but it scored on a 55-yard punt return by Corby Jones and an 82-yard kickoff return by Justin Davis.
Rowan held a 22-8 lead after Davis’ TD with 12:30 to go.
Rowan (5-1, 3-1) had a drive stopped at the Thomasville 39 with five minutes left, and the Titans scored a go-ahead TD with the aid of a key pass interference penalty.
Rowan’s D’Andre Hopper, who had 107 rushing yards, missed a 42-yard field goal attempt by inches in the final seconds.
Jones and Manny Quinterro recorded sacks for the Rampage. Jones, Mark Sturgis and Travis Gist made interceptions.
“We played ugly and didn’t deserve to win,” owner/coach Larry Bryant said. “We never found a rhythm on offense. Now we’ve got to regroup.”
Rowan stands one game behind the Greenville Seminoles and Carolina Bulldogs in the CCFL standings. Rowan is on the road at Indian Land, S.C., to take on the Bulldogs this Saturday.
– Strongest Man competition
See today’s Area section for a story and photos by Steve Huffman on Saturday’s Strongest Man competition at Hurley YMCA.
Highlights turned in by the 15 competitors included:
* Daniel Overcash pulled a full-size passenger bus 20 yards in 21.15 seconds and flipped a 741-pound tire 20 yards in 40.9 seconds.
* Jonathan Creason ran 200 feet carrying 240 lbs in 16.55 seconds in the farmer’s walk.
* Dane Corriher ran a 90-yard shuttle race while carrying boat batteries, sand bags and an anvil in 26.7 seconds.
* Brian Walker dead-lifted 225 pounds 23 times in 30 seconds.
Cheerwine, James Davis, Fisher Realty, The Salisbury Post and F&M bank were the major sponsors. Plans are under way for a repeat event this spring.
– Minor leagues
Tim Smith (Catawba) pitched two scoreless innings for Kingsport in a 3-2 loss against Princeton on Sunday.
– Football edition
The Post’s annual prep football edition (32 pages) will be published on Wednesday. The season officially starts Friday.
– Rowan fall ball sign-ups
Rowan Little League is currently accepting sign-ups at Godley’s Garden Center for fall baseball and softball. Online registrations are accepted at www.rowanlittleague.com.
Fall ball is for ages 5 to 14. Cost is $30. Contact Jeff Bernhardt at 704-855-9849 for more information.