From staff reports
East Rowan senior first baseman Andy Austin plans to sign with UNC Wilmington on Wednesday.
The lefty hitter gave a verbal commitment to the Seahawks in August.
Austin has batted .391 with 52 RBIs for the Mustangs in two years as a starter.
He batted .323 with 27 RBIs for the Rowan County Legion team over the summer.
East coach Brian Hightower expects hard-throwing senior right-hander Bradley Robbins to announce a commitment to Tallahassee Community College later this week.
Robbins would sign with the Florida school in January.
Robbins was phenomenal for the Mustangs as a junior, compiling a 10-1 record with 88 strikeouts in 621/3 innings. His ERA was 1.01.
Robbins was the Post’s Pitcher of the Year for 2011 and will be presented with the first annual Patrick Snider Award at East’s home opener this spring.
Robbins was 4-2 with 43 Ks in 372/3 innings for the Rowan Legion team over the summer.
Hightower said other Mustangs being recruited include catcher Nathan Fulbright and infielders Austin Fleming and Chase Hathcock.
Hitting camp at NWC
Northwest Cabarrus is holding a fall hitting camp on Nov. 19, from 9-1. The camp will feature Seattle Mariners infielder Kyle Seager as one of the instructors, along with other former and current Trojans.
The cost is $40. Info on the camp can be found on the Northwest Cabarrus High School home page or by calling coach Joe Hubbard at 704-788-4111.
Prep football
When Salisbury plays at Starmount in the 2A playoffs on Friday, the top-seeded Rams will be without starting quarterback Christian Hurt, who was injured in a first-round victory against East Lincoln.
Hurt, who has 706 rushing yards this season, suffered a neck injury.
Salisbury has played Starmount once previously, defeating the Rams in a second-round game in 1995.
Creswell beat Cape Hatteras 48-0 in a 1A East playoff matchup that was delayed until Monday.
Prep soccer
Salisbury’s soccer team is expected to get its first major test in the 2A playoffs when it battles Waxhaw Cuthbertson in a third-round matchup at Ludwig Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Hornets (20-1-1) are ranked fourth in 2A. Cuthbertson (18-4-2) isn’t ranked despite going 14-0 in the Rocky River Conference.
“They didn’t just win their league — they ran it very handily,” Salisbury coach Matt Parrish said. “They’re an excellent team.”
The Hornets have won both their playoff games by 5-0 scores and have allowed only eight goals this season.
They are unbeaten at home and also are unbeaten against 2A competition.
“This could be our year,” senior Kenny Bonilla said Saturday after scoring his 21st goal of the season. “If everyone wants it, it can be.”
College football
SAC players of the week were Carson-Newman running back Nate Inman, Tusculum defensive lineman Terrence Smith (17 tackles) and Lenoir-Rhyne kick returner Michael Green (68-yard punt return TD).
The SAC race will come down to Saturday’s season finales.
Mars Hill (5-1) and Lenoir-Rhyne (5-1) are tied for first, while Wingate (4-2) still could share the crown with a lot of help on Saturday.
Mars Hill is home against Carson-Newman. Lenoir-Rhyne is at Catawba. Wingate is at Tusculum.
Lenoir-Rhyne won head-to-head against Mars Hill, but the Bears lost by a single point to Tusculum.
Wingate has lost to Mars Hill and Lenoir-Rhyne.
CIAA weekly honorees included Chowan receiver Robert Holland (16 catches, three TDs), Elizabeth City State back Daronte McNeill (186 rushing yards, two TDs) and J.C. Smith defensive lineman Dylan Steele (pick-6).
Unbeaten Winston-Salem State and Elizabeth City State square off in the CIAA championship game on Saturday afternoon in Durham.
College swimming
Freshman Carley Drye (Salisbury) helped Liberty beat Campbell over the weekend.
She swam on fifth-place teams in the 200 free and 200 medley relays and was eighth in the 200 free.
Catawba’s Katia Kruglov set a school record Saturday at the Wingate Quad Swim meet.
The Indians swam against Wingate, Washington & Lee and Queens.
For the Catawba men, Magnus Lundgren led off the 200 free relay with a 21.36 leg that tied the school record in the event.
Andrew McCollister (Salisbury) finished third in the 200 breast with a time of 2:14.32.
Catawba will swim at East Carolina this Saturday.
College cross country
Freshmen Emily Shields and Katherine Shields (Salisbury) led Lees-McRae to a ninth-place finish in the Division II Southeast Regional Championships held at Charlotte’s McAlpine Park on Saturday.
Emily was 10th, while Katherine was 15th.
Emily turned in a 6K time of 22:26.
Katherine was clocked in 22:46.
Both twins earned all-region honors.
Youth soccer
The 7th annual FCCA Carolina Shootout Soccer Tournament is set for Nov. 12-13 at Concord’s Frank Liske Park.
More than 2,800 players from ages 9-19 are expected to participate.
Women’s hoops
Tusculum lost to Wake Forest 65-40 on Monday. Secily Ray scored 10 points for Wake. Kendal Baxter scored 10 for the Pioneers.
Men’s basketball
Jamel Carpenter (West Rowan) had 16 points and five rebounds for Fayetteville State in an 88-66 exhibition loss to Campbell on Monday in Buies Creek.
Eric Griffin had 17 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Camels.
College men’s soccer
Anderson and Mars Hill will represent the SAC in the Division II playoffs.
Anderson will battle Lees-McRae, while Mars Hill takes on Montevallo.
College women’s soccer
Wingate is the No. 5 seed in the Southeast Regional and opens against No. 4 North Georgia on Friday.
College volleyball
Catawba’s surging volleyball team plays Newberry in the first round of the SAC tournament on Friday at Lincoln Memorial.
Local racing
Millbridge Speedway is an Outlaw Kart track located at 6670 Mooresville Road, Salisbury.
The first winter heat race will be held Wednesday night, with racing starting at 8 p.m.
Another big race — “The Turkey Showdown” is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26, at 3 p.m. There’s a $500 prize for the open division winner.