From staff reports
Salisbury’s jayvee football team stayed unbeaten on Thursday with a 28-14 win against Thomasville at Ludwig Stadium.
The Hornets won their 14th straight game, dating back to last season and their 27th straight CCC contest.
Salisbury (9-0) struck first on a 21-yard TD pass from Riley Myers to Travon Ellis.
Tony Krider’s 32-yard scoring run gave the Hornets a 14-0 lead, but the Bulldogs fought back to trail 14-7 at halftime.
Myers’ 33-yard TD pass to A.J. Hill put the Hornets back in control, and Myers also scored on a 10-yard run.
Hill and Roy Vinson keyed Salisbury’s running game.
Stephen Mazur was 4-for-4 on PATs.
Leading the Salisbury defense was Antwan Payne. He had an interception and several pass breakups.
North Rowan put together one of its best team efforts of the season and beat West Montgomery 39-15 at Eagle Stadium on Thursday.
North, which lost to Salisbury by a single point, has won five straight YVC contests.
A.L. Brown also stayed undefeated, winning a 17-14 SPC tussle with Northwest Cabarrus on Thursday.
Jonathan Cano’s 29-yard field goal ultimately made the difference for the Wonders, who led 17-6 at halftime and held off the Trojans in the second half.
Statistically, the Wonders were in control, rushing for 233 yards while holding Northwest to two first downs.
E.J. Dean rushed 18 times for 147 yards for the Wonders (9-0). Andrew Ramirez ran for a TD and threw a scoring pass to Quenton Gulledge.
Kyrell Williamson keyed Brown’s defense with four tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks.
The win by the Wonders sets up a matchup with Concord for the SPC jayvee championship next week.
Prep tennis
Gray Stone finished second in the 1A YVC behind third-ranked East Montgomery.
Despite numerous rain delays, the Gray Stone team also wrapped up individual conference play this week at Chatham Central.
At No. 1 and No. 2 singles, Gray Stone freshmen Brooke Herlocker and Meghan Hedgepeth met in the tournament finals. The seasoned USTA players battled for over three hours, with Hedgepeth winning the singles title in back-to-back tie-breakers, 6-7, 7-6, 10-8. Hedgepeth was undefeated this season.
Both girls advance to the 1A West Regional scheduled to begin today in Elkin. Gray Stone’s doubles team of Caby Styers and Jordan DeJaco also earned a spot in the regional tournament.
All members of the Gray Stone team have contributed to a stellar 13-3 overall record. The Knights were 12-2 in the YVC.
Team members include Abby Grathwhol, Rachel Poston, Caroline Chilton, Allana Ansbro, Anna Cooper, Erica Bodiker and Sara Lanning.
Coach Jeff Walter, a 10-year coaching veteran and certified tennis pro, expects great things from this young team in the future.
Gray Stone beat Chatham Central in the first round of the 1A dual team playoffs and plays Union Academy in the second round on Tuesday.
Ansbro, DeJaco, and Hedgepeth train at the Salisbury Tennis Academy with master pro Jack Thompson. The trio, along with Grathwhol and Chilton, are alumnae of Sacred Heart.
Prep volleyball
North Iredell swept West Iredell for the NPC tournament title.
Second-seeded Central Davidson beat No. 1 seed West Davidson 3-2 for the CCC tournament title.
Salisbury (8-9) will play at Piedmont (23-2) in the first round of the 2A playoffs.
In the 3A playoffs, Carson (20-10) will play at Weddington (16-7) in the first round.
In 4A, Davie (16-10) is at Ardrey Kell (25-2) in the first round.
In 1A, Gray Stone (13-6) plays at Cherryville (16-9) in the first round.
Middle school football
Knox’s eighth-graders beat Mooresville 22-2 on Thursday.
The Trojans (6-1) had outstanding play on both sides of the ball.
Raquan Shell started the scoring with a 78-yard touchdown run.
Jaylen Sanders scored the second touchdown on a bone-bruising 37-yard run.
Shell scored the final touchdown of the game on a 22-yard drive.
Quarterback Matt Woolley ran for a two-point conversion, and threw a two-point pass to Will Stienman.
Opening the holes for the Knox runners were linemen Kris Morgan, D.J. Alexander, A.J. Shields, Elijah Black and Allen Tulloch. Back Willie Clark also had huge blocks.
The defense held the Imps scoreless for the team’s fifth shutout.
Deshaude White had two forced fumbles, and Atwuan Glenn made big sticks and shut down the Imps’ sweeps. James Luther made six tackles, two for loss. Shell had eight tackles.
Dequan Hopkins broke up two passes and Sanders had three tackles for loss and an interception.
The Trojans finish their season Wednesday at North Rowan.
Prep basketball
Statesville has named faculty member Adrienne Long as the new girls basketball coach.Long has coached jayvee basketball teams at Statesville and Bunker Hill and has been a varsity softball coach at Newton-Conover.