From staff reports
Salisbury’s jayvee football team edged North Rowan 13-12 in a thriller played at frenzied Ludwig Stadium on Thursday.
Riley Myers scored on a decisive 8-yard run with 3:15 remaining, while Jeremiah Billingslea made an interception with 50 seconds left to seal victory.
Tony Krider scored from 2 yards out for a 6-0 Salisbury lead in the first half, and Stephen Mazur added a PAT that turned out to be critical.
North (0-1) immediately answered with an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but Salisbury’s Jaquarius Givens stopped the two-point conversion.
With seven minutes left in the game, North broke a long scoring run to take a 12-7 lead, but the Hornets (2-0) made a poised drive down the field to win their seventh in a row.
Bobby Johnson turned in a “monster game” for the Salisbury defense, said coach Joe Pinyan. Givens contributed two pass breakups, and Damek Bratcher anchored the middle of the defense.
A.J. Hill made a circus catch for the Hornets.
Alexis Archie scored on a quarterback sneak for West Rowan in a 7-6 win against Davie County on Thursday. Zack Russell kicked the PAT.
Other offensive standouts for West (1-1) were Keyows Weeks and Amos Duncan.
Defensive standouts included Daekwon Smith, Quameak Lewis, Zack Taylor and Malik Thompson.
A.L. Brown rushed for 255 yards and thumped South Rowan 33-12.
Junon Miller and E.J. Bean scored two TDs apiece for the Wonders, and Andrew Ramirez threw a touchdown pass.
Michael Childress had a big rushing game for the Raiders. Josh Daniels caught a TD pass, and Derrick Blackwell ran for a score.
Prep volleyball
Carson’s varsity volleyball team beat East Rowan 25-15, 25-9, 25-10 in NPC play on Thursday. The Cougars improved to 5-1 overall.
Carson’s jayvees topped the Mustangs 25-17, 25-16.
Davie County beat East Forsyth 25-22, 25-11, 25-16 on Thursday.
Davie is 4-1. The War Eagles’ only loss was against Carson.
Prep tennis
North Rowan won 7-2 against North Moore in YVC girls tennis.
Catherine Crawford, Dakota Honeycutt, Taylor Love, Daisy Lemke and Lacey Jones won singles matches for the Cavaliers (3-1).
Crawford-Jones and Love-Lemke were doubles winners.
North’s lone loss was to East Montgomery.
Minor leagues
Jerry Sands (Catawba) walloped his 27th homer for Triple A Albuquerque on Thursday. Sands had a huge night in a 13-3 romp against Red Rock. He had four hits, stole a base and knocked in three runs.
Spencer Steedley (East Rowan) was the winning pitcher for New Britain in Thursday’s 11-8 Double A Eastern League victory against Trenton.
Steedley (4-4) enjoyed his best outing since returning to a starting role. He allowed two runs in five innings and struck out three.
The Kannapolis Intimidators were limited to two hits and lost 2-1 to Augusta on Thursday. Kannapolis didn’t provide much offensive support for Spencer Arroyo.
Whit Merrifield (Davie), a college outfielder, is now playing regularly at second base for the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the advanced Class A Carolina League. Merrifield slugged his 27th double of the season in Thursday’s 11-5 win against Potomac.
Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) picked up his 27th RBI of the season as Winston-Salem pounded Salem 14-0 in Carolina League action on Thursday.
Hudson Valley’s Craige Lyerly (East Rowan) had a pair of run-scoring singles in a 6-5 win against Vermont on Thursday in the New York-Penn League.
Local golf
Will Collins (Salisbury) lost to Wake Forest’s Lee Bedford in the first round of match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship on Thursday.
In Women’s Golf Association play at the Country Club of Salisbury, Kim Bost won low net with a 63. Jo Shaw was second at 75 and Betsey Edgeworth third at 81.
Qualifying rounds for the Labor Day 4-Ball Tournament start today.
Catawba football
Catawba is providing a fan bus for the football season opener at St. Augustine’s on Sept. 3. The day trip is to Durham and back, as the 1:30 p.m. contest will be held at Durham County Stadium. The cost is $25 and the bus will leave the Shuford Stadium parking lot at 9 a.m. Game tickets can be purchased upon arrival at the stadium. Food costs will be extra.
The game will mark the fourth meeting of the schools in football. St. Augustine’s has won twice at Shuford Stadium, while Catawba claimed a win at Raleigh’s Broughton High School two years ago. Interested parties should call the athletic office at 704-637-4474 or email to pmason@catawba.edu.
ASU football
Appalachian State football will return to the site of one of the most memorable moments in school history when it opens the 2014 season at Michigan.