From staff reports
Elliot Gealy (Salisbury) shot a sizzling 8-under 63 on Thursday in the first round of the Cox Classic, a Nationwide Tour stop in Omaha, Neb.
Gealy made seven birdies, one bogey and an eagle on the par-5 17th.
He’s tied for second place, one shot off the pace.
Alex Nianouris shot 74-74 — 148 in the qualifying segment of the N.C. Amateur Match Play Championship being held at Bermuda Run.
Salisbury’s Nianouris tied for 16th and made the cut. Par was 144. The cut line fell at 150.
Johnny Kyger shot 76-79 — 155. Russ Adams shot 82-76 — 158.
Nianouris will square off against Cary’s Kevin O’Connell, who qualified at 146, in the first round of match play today.
Eric Edwards carded a 76 and Alex Austin shot 80 in sectional qualifying for the Dogwood State Junior Championship held in Smithfield on Thursday. Both advanced. The cutline fell at 82.
AAU Junior Olympics
Action continued for local athletes in the AAU Junior Olympics in New Orleans.
Alex Crook earned a medal with an eighth-place finish in the 800 final in the sub-youth division. Crook ran a time of 2:13.10.
Crook was spiked 550 meters into his run, almost fell, lost a shoe and still passed several runners to make it onto the podium.
Alisha Bradshaw medaled with a fifth in the young women’s division shot put final with a throw of 41 feet, 111/2 inches.
Payton Russell was sixth in the 100 semifinals in the midget girls division in 13.20 seconds.
Jaleesa Smoot was 13th in the 100 semis in the youth girls division in 12.68.
Andrew Burgess was 27th in the 800 final for sub-midget boys in 2:32.76.
College track
Livingstone’s Bryan Aycoth (West Rowan), 2011 CIAA javelin champion and conference record-holder, was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team Thursday.
Aycoth has a 3.87 GPA as a biology major and is slated to complete his degree requirements in December.
Legion baseball
Cherryville lost 5-4 to Dothan, Ala., in the first round of the Southeast Regional American Legion tournament, which began in Sumter, S.C., on Thursday.
Post 100 had 12 hits, but Dothan (33-13) turned key double plays in the eighth and ninth innings.
Luke Kiser had three hits for Cherryville.
Adam Benfield (10-4) took the loss in 100-degree temperatures. Cherryville will hand the ball to unbeaten Drew Reynolds today.
Cherryville fell to 31-8 and plays Greenbrier, Va., in an elimination game today at 9 a.m.
Cherryville will have to win five games in a row to win the regional.
Prep baseball
Northwest Cabarrus infielder Corey Seager, a South Carolina commitment, has been named to the 46-man roster for the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic.
The nation’s top high school baseball players will go to San Diego to play in the ninth annual baseball showcase, featuring an East versus West matchup. The game will be played Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. at Petco Park and will be televised live by CBS Sports Network.
North Rowan outfielder Matt Mauldin was named to the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association 1A All-State team, while Davie shortstop Carson Herndon was named to the NCBCA’s 4A All-State team.
Other players from area conferences on the NCBCA squads were West Iredell’s Sean Grant, Robinson’s Brody Koerner, Albemarle’s Corey Dick, South Stanly’s Russ Weiker (1A Player of the Year), Steven Wallace and Landon Fraley, North Davidson’s Jordan Ramsey and West Davidson’s Gary Ferguson.
Minor leagues
Hudson Valley’s Craige Lyerly (East Rowan, Catawba) stayed hot Thursday, picking up three hits in a doubleheader to boost his batting average to .308.
Rangel Ravelo continued his tear for the Kannapolis Intimidators on Thursday, driving in three runs in an 8-2 win against Lexington. Ravelo is batting .451 since being promoted to the Intimidators.
Carlos Sanchez had three hits for Kannapolis.
Spencer Steedley (East) allowed two runs in two innings of relief in New Britain’s 12-2 loss to Erie on Thursday.
Burlington’s Rudy Brown (South Rowan) earned a save on Thursday, pitching the ninth inning of a 10-7 win against Pulaski.
Prep girls basketball
Lacardo Means recently resigned as Thomasville’s girls basketball coach.
Means, 57, was 70-26 the last four seasons. He also spent 15 years as an assistant to Woody Huneycutt in the highly successful Thomasville boys basketball program.
Means coached Chris Paul, among others, in AAU ball, and his 2002 team won a national championship.
Means’ son, Nick, was a record-setting receiver at Catawba.
Means told the Lexington Dispatch he’ll remain as the attendance coordinator for Thomasville City Schools.
Tryouts
Rowan Rage girls softball try outs for all ages are on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m. at Rockwell School.
Contact Mitch Medlin at 704-202-5094.
A 10U tournament baseball team is forming in Kannapolis.
Tryouts will be Sunday at 4 p.m. at the new batting center on Mooresville Road. Email ktownnaturals@aol.com or call Mark Linton at 980-521-4973.
Sign-ups, registrations
Sacred Heart will be sponsoring a middle school basketball camp at its facility on Aug. 19-20.
The camp is for boys and girls teams and features round-robin team play and fun individual skills competitions.
The cost is $100 per team.
Contact bob Burges for more information at HYPERLINK mailto:bburges@piedmontchemical.com bburges@piedmontchemical.com or 336-362-6802.
The Saleeby-Fisher YMCA, East Rowan branch, is taking registrations for the following fall sports:
Mighty Kickers Soccer is open to boys and girls ages 3-4.
This is a great introduction to the sport of soccer in a fun and safe environment.
Register through Sept. 3.
Outdoor soccer is open to boys and girls ages 5-14 (Grades K-8).
This league teaches the game along with YMCA values
Register through Sept. 3.
Fall T-Ball os open to boys and girls ages 4-6 (Grades Pre-K-1). This is a great introduction to the sport in a fun and safe environment.
Register through Sept. 3.
Register at the East Rowan YMCA or online at www.rowanymca.org.
Contact Joe Finney at 704-279-1742 or jfinney@rowanymca.org for information.n Registration for China Grove youth baseball and softball leagues is ongoing at Dale’s Sporting Goods in downtown China Grove.
Baseball leagues are Coach Pitch (ages 6-8), Junior Division (ages 9-10) and Senior Division (ages 11-12).
Softball leagues are for ages 6-7, ages 8-9, ages 10-11 and ages 12-13.
The price is $40 until Aug. 29. After Labor Day, the price will increase to $50.
Make checks payable to China Grove Fall Baseball. if you have questions, contact James Solomon (704-857-1439).
Rowan Little League is currently taking sign-ups through Aug. 20 at Godley’s Garden Center for fall baseball and girls softball leagues.
Online registrations are accepted at http://www.rowanlittleague.com.
Fall ball is for ages 3-14. Cost is $30. Baseball ages are as of April 30, 2012, and softball ages are as of Dec. 31, 2011. Games begin after Labor Day. Pre-TBall for ages 3-4 will be included.
Contact Wade Furches at 704-633-2873 or Jeff Bernhardt at 704-326-5255 for more information.
Little League
Spencer Little League/Franklin Ellis Pee Wee League fall baseball registration will be held on Fridays, Aug. 5 and 12, from 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays, Aug. 6 and 13, from 9 a.m. until noon at 8th Street Ballpark in Spencer. Or register online at www.eteamz.com/spencerlittleleague1.
Contact William Noles at 704-633-0151 or Chris Fries at 704-637-2766 for information.
Leagues are for ages 4-14. Cost is $ 30 per player for Coach Pitch, B League, A League and Junior League
This is an instructional league — a must for improving current skills or preparing for a new league next spring.
Silent auction
Catawba will hold a silent auction of items in the Kirkland Lobby of Goodman Gymnasium from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, with proceeds benefiting the athletics department.
Among the items up for bid is a Sam Moir Christmas Tournament VIP package: Admission for all three days, a parking spot and “Jack Nicholson seats.”
Other items include Carolina Panthers tickets, vacations, golf outings, personal training and even Grand Ole Opry tickets.
Contact Margaret Faust at mfaust@catawba.edu or (704) 637-4394 for information.