From staff reports
East Rowan announced the hiring of Jim Lankford as its new boys basketball coach on Wednesday.
The 1992 Appalachian State graduate has an excellent track record as a girls and women’s hoops coach. He worked at A.C. Reynolds High in Asheville eight seasons and posted a record of 87-47. His team won the 4A state championship in 2000.
Lankford has served as a college assistant coach with the women’s programs at Appalachian State and East Tennessee State.
He’ll replace Greg McKenzie, whose five-year run at East included a 95-41 mark and three of the best seasons in school history.
A story on Lankford is upcoming.
– Prep soccer
East Rowan’s soccer team beat Cox Mill 6-1 on Wednesday in Granite Quarry.
Jan Garus continued his tear with two first-half goals. Taylor Owen scored twice in the second half, including a goal on a throw-in. Levi Huffman and Robbie Barnes added a goal apiece for the Mustangs (3-1-1).
Hunter House led East’s defense, marking Cox Mill striker Josh Cogen. Cogen got the lone goal for the Chargers late in the match.
Coach John McNeil’s Mustangs play at SPC squad Hickory Ridge in Harrisburg on Monday.
* A young Salisbury team crushed a younger Mount Plesant team 10-0 on Wednesday.
Salisbury started four freshmen. Mount Pleasant started seven.
Jordy Sanchez had a hat trick for the Hornets, who were on the road.
Kenny Bonilla, Michael Mazur, Matt Cervantes, John Romero, Brock Overcash, Scott Van der Poel and Jose Molina also cashed in goals for the Hornets (3-0-1), who rolled to a 7-0 halftime lead.
John Grant had two assists. Romero, Luke Hutton, Matt Marshall, Spencer Dixon, Cervantes, Chase Etters, Paul Kollie and Hanson Saryee were credited with one helper each.
Salisbury has a rematch with Mount Pleasant on Monday and also takes on county foes South Rowan and North Rowan next week.
– Prep tennis
North Rowan topped Albemarle 8-1 in a YVC match on Wednesday.
Diamond Jackson, Kelli Berry, Kayla Morgan, Haley Ridenhour and Caitlin Crawford won single matches.
“Overall, it was a very strong match for us as we settle in to our new conference,” North coach Sallie Hundley said.
* North lost to Gray Stone 7-2 on Monday. Jackson won in singles. Berry and Crawford teamed for a doubles win.
* Salisbury’s girls tennis team remained unbeaten with a 9-0 victory against Mooresville on Wednesday.
Hannah Lebowitz, Joy Loeblein, Erika Nelson, Katelyn Storey, Anna Page and Sierra Davis won in singles for the Hornets (4-0).
Lebowitz-Page, Nelson-Storey and Loeblein-Davis won in doubles.
* On Tuesday, Salisbury won 9-0 against South Rowan.
Storey, Page, Davis, Mary Margaret Mills, Sallie Kate Meyerhoeffer and Mally Fisher won in singles. Lebowitz-Loeblein, Nelson-Storey and Caroline Graham-Sarah Shirley prevailed in doubles.
* Kelly Dulkoski, Carol Brown and Hannah Shinn had singles wins for Carson in a 5-4 NPC victory against West Rowan on Wednesday.
West singles winners included Madison Rusher, Maggie Daniel and Mary Tyler March.
Carson took two of the three doubles matches.
See Scoreboard for full tennis results.
– Prep volleyball
South Rowan bumped its record to 5-0 with non-conference victories against Northwest Cabarrus and A.L. Brown.
Nicole Barringer had 18 assists to lead a 25-8, 25-14, 25-12 victory against the Wonders. Taylor Lookabill, Kayla Morrow and Amber Waldroup had four aces each. Morrow led with seven kills.
Barringer had 31 assists in a 25-17, 25-18, 25-12 win against the Trojans. Waldroup had 15 kills, while Morrow had 13 and Sam Goins seven. Tiffany Brooks had four aces. Morrow and Tayler Smith had six digs apiece.
* West Iredell topped Lake Norman 3-0, while North Iredell beat South Iredell 3-0.
– Pre-sale tickets
Pre-sale tickets for Friday’s highly anticipated A.L. Brown-South Rowan football game at South will be on sale at the South school office today and Friday from 8-3 for $6.
– Prep softball
Alyse Bowden, 23, is the new head coach of Davie’s program.
The 2004 Davie graduate replaces Janice Jackson, who was 91-87 in an eight-year tenure.
– Intimidators win
The first-place Kannapolis Intimidators made it 11 straight wins with an 8-6 victory at Greenville on Wednesday.
Kannapolis scored seven runs in the first two innings. Drew Garcia, Brandon Short and Jon Gilmore had two RBIs each. Winning pitcher Charlie Leesman (13-4) leads the SAL in victories.n Minor leagues
Tim Smith (Catawba) had another scoreless relief appearance for Kingsport on Wednesday. He worked 11/3 innings in a 5-3 loss to Greeneville, Tenn.
* Busby 2nd in Triathlon Six women from Salisbury competed in the Ramblin’ Rose Triathlon Tour in Winston-Salem this past weekend.
The race consisted of a 250-yard swim, nine-mile bike ride and a two-mile run.
Sarah Busby finished second overall out of 485 participants.
Gwin Barr finished 19th overall and third in her age group. Dr. Kathy Boyd placed 89th overall. Jane Conway placed 129th overall. Stacy Jeter placed 296th overall. Dr. Tina Merhoff finished 318th overall and third in her age group.
– CF golf tournament
The 3rd annual “Saving Grace” Cystic Fibrosis Golf Tournament will be held at Corbin Hills on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1:30 p.m.
Team “Saving Grace” is hosting the tournament in order to raise money for research to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Team “Saving Grace” was established in honor of 7-year- old Grace Hodge who is one of at least 15 children in Rowan County suffering from CF.
All the proceeds from the golf tournament go directly to the CF Foundation and 90 percent goes to fund research.
The format is Captain’s Choice. The cost is $50 per person or $200 per team. Lunch is included in the entry fee, plus great door prizes!
Individual and corporate sponsorships are welcomed.
Please contact Susan Linza at 704-636-2530 for information.
– Irish Creek tourney
Over the weekend of April 2-4, college golf teams from around the country will come to The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis to participate in The Club at Irish Creek Collegiate Classic presented by the North Carolina Research Campus.
The Charlotte Regional Sports Commission, Charlotte 49ers, Davidson and Belmont Abbey serve as the event hosts and organizers. The challenging Davis Love III Signature Course in Kannapolis provides a new venue for the tournament after having been played at Palisades Country Club the past three of the event’s eleven years.
– College basketball
Appalachian men’s basketball coach Buzz Peterson announced the addition of four student-athletes on Tuesday. Anthony Breeze (Coastal Carolina) and Omar Carter (Charleston Southern) are transfers and will sit out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Nathan Healy (New Bern) and Ryan Kilmartin (Charlotte Catholic) enter the season as freshmen.
– Lady Braves
The 8-under Lady Braves softball team is rebuilding for the fall and spring seasons.
The Braves are looking for dedicated girls and parents with a passion for the game.
Tryouts are Saturday, Aug. 29, at 9 p.m. on Field No. 1 at Richfield Park.
All positions are open. For information, contact Kelith McRae at 336-736-7117 or kmcrae@technimark.com.
– China Grove leagues
The China Grove fall baseball and girls softball leagues are accepting registrations until Aug. 31.
There are openings for baseball ages 5-12 and softball ages 6-13. Register at Dale’s Sporting Goods. Call 704-857-1439 for information.