From staff reports
On Thursday night, Carson’s girls lost a coin flip with North Iredell for the top seed in next week’s NPC basketball tournament. The teams shared the league title with 11-1 records.
That means Carson’s girls will play at home in Tuesday’s first round against No. 7 seed Statesville, while North Iredell gets a first-round bye.
Statesville is the host school for the NPC semifinals and championship games.
South Rowan’s fourth-seeded boys will play at home at 6 p.m. on Monday in the first round of the NPC tournament against No. 5 seed North Iredell. South swept the regular-season matchups.
East Rowan will stage an NPC tournament doubleheader on Monday, starting at 6, as both its teams earned first-round home games.
The fourth-seeded East girls will take on No. 5 seed South Rowan. East swept the regular-season matchups.
East’s third-seeded boys will host No. 6 seed Carson. The teams split NPC matchups, and the Mustangs also beat the Cougars in the Moir tourney.
West Rowan also will be at home for a tournament doubleheader. It will start on Monday at 6 p.m. West Rowan’s third-seeded girls will take on No. 6 seed West Iredell. West Rowan’s second-seeded boys will take on No. 7 seed West Iredell.
Davie’s boys will play Monday in the CPC tournament. All tournament games will be played at Reagan.
Prep football
Davie County coach Doug Illing has been named to this year’s Shrine Bowl staff.
A Summerville, S.C., native who graduated from Wake Forest, Illing has coached the War Eagles 10 seasons, including a 14-1 year in 2004, a 12-2 mark in 2006 and a state runner-up finish in 2010.
“It’s humbling, and I’m very appreciative of the honor,” Illing said on Thursday. “This says a lot about the program we’ve tried to build at Davie. It’s an honor not just for me, but for our coaching staff, our players, our administration and our school. I’ll be representing all of them.”
Garner’s Nelson Smith will be the North Carolina head coach. Stratford’s Ray Stackley will coach South Carolina.
Also joining Smith on the N.C. staff are West Forsyth’s Adrian Snow, Fayetteville Douglas Byrd’s Russell Stone, Hendersonville’s B.J. Laughter, East Lincoln’s Mike Byus and Burlington Williams’ Davis Grant.
Prep swimming
Led by MVP Lauren Rhodes, Charlotte Catholic’s girls won the 3A state swimming and diving meet on Thursday at Cary’s Triangle Aquatic Center.
It was the seventh straight year Catholic has won 3A.
Marvin Ridge finished a distant second.
South Rowan’s girls finished 18th with 20 points, while East Rowan was 29th with six.
South’s Leslie Franks finished 13th in the 50 freestyle in 26.16 seconds.
South’s 200 free relay team of Nicole Mauldin, Kaylin Little, Taylor Kluttz and Franks was 13th in 1:50.32.
South also was 13th in the 400 free relay with Mauldin, Franks, Kluttz and Kristina Miller clocked in 4:03.74.
East’s Meagan Barbetto, Madison Hall, Anna Leigh Shuping and Hailey Bartleson finished 14th in the 200 free relay (1:50.39).
The East girls broke the school record in the event in the morning session and came back to break the record again in the evening final.
Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons won its third straight 3A boys title. Charlotte Catholic finished second.
A.L. Brown’s boys turned in a strong seventh-place effort.
The Wonders’ Davied Sanchez won the state championship in the 100 backstroke in 52.44 and placed second in the 100 butterfly in 52.51. Brown’s Cole Harris was seventh in the 100 backstroke (55.97) and eighth in the 200 IM (2:04.41).
Brown’s 200 medley relay unit of Davied Sanchez, Harris, Daniel Sanchez and Alex Fesperman placed fourth in 1:44.68 and seventh in the 200 free relay in 1:34.42.
East’s Luke Evans was 12th in the 100 backstroke in 58.60.
East’s boys finished 36th with five points.
Salisbury swimmers compete in the 1A/2A championships today in Cary.
Livingstone men win
Livingstone’s men’s basketball team beat Morris 90-77 at New Trent Gym on Thursday.
Livingstone led by as many as 20 points in the second half.
Nasir Austin scored 18 points. Trone Jackson and Josh Hodge had 14 each. Tyler Johnson pulled down 11 rebounds.
Livingstone is home against CIAA rival Fayetteville State on Saturday.
Jayvee hoops
Carson’s jayvee girls beat North Iredell 43-37 on Wednesday. Jordy Clark and Megan Gray scored 10 points apiece for the Cougars, and Cassie Howard added six.
Regan Redmond scored 14 to lead North Iredell.
Carson (16-4, 10-2) tied South Rowan for first place in the NPC standings.
South (14-5, 10-2) was led this season by Cassidy Chipman, Sylvetta Bost and Caroline Hubbard. The South jayvees were all freshmen after Kacie Stamey was promoted to the varsity at Christmas.
7th-grade hoops
Erwin’s girls beat West Rowan 28-11 on Thursday.
Erwin’s girls gave Allison Dupree her 250th coaching victory. Destiny Jackson led the Eagles (5-0) with 12 points and 11 steals. Lauren Wilsey added five points, and Breya Philpot grabbed seven rebounds.
Khara Fesperman scored five points for West (0-5).
Corriher-Lipe’s girls beat Southeast 35-8.
Kailie Ketchie scored 16 points for the Yellow Jackets. Kiersten Morgan had 11, and Makayla Strickland had six.
West Rowan’s boys beat Erwin 31-19, with Kortez Weeks accounting for 10 points and seven steals.
Jovon Quarles added seven points for the Bulldogs (4-1). Rodney Howell had five rebounds. Brett Graham made three steals.
Erwin (2-3) was led by Ellis Taylor with five points.
Southeast’s boys jumped to a big early lead and beat Corriher-Lipe 30-20.
Lawrence Robinson scored 11 points to lead Southeast. Malon Herron had nine, and Austin Love scored six.
Landon Johnson led the Yellow Jackets with six points.
North Hills hoops
The North Hills middle school boys lost to Victory Christian 49-47.
The Eagles fell to 11-2.
The North Hills middle school girls beat Victory Christian 44-29. Marrisa Murdock scored 13 points, Dajah Glenn had 12, and Sierra Eagle scored nine. Becca Loflin was a defensive standout for NH (12-3).
The North Hills varsity boys overwhelmed Hickory Christian 89-46.
Vismantas Marijosius (18), Povilas Dambrauskas (16), Taylor Kriminger (15), Moussa Doucara (15) and Broderick Avery (10) scored in double figures for the Eagles (15-6, 6-3).