From staff reports
Now, it’s football’s turn.
The East-West All-Star Game will be played tonight at Greensboro’s Jamieson Stadium at 8 p.m. and will feature two local players in West Rowan defensive lineman Greg Dixon and Davie quarterback Adam Smith.
Dixon, a 6-foot, 280-pounder, was the North Piedmont Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was also all-county. He helped Scott Young’s Falcons to their fourth straight appearance in the state 3A championship game.
Dixon said, “I feel happy about playing in the all-star game, and I feel like this game will make me a better player playing against the state’s best. Hopefully a coach will see me and make me an offer.”
Dixon originally signed with West Liberty but did not make his test scores.
The speedy Smith was a 5-11, 165 QB/DB for Doug Illing’s War Eagles but is listed as a wide receiver in the East-West game. As a senior, he was the Central Piedmont Conference Co-Player of the Year after passing for 1,971 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 371 and 11 more scores. He will play for Division III Guilford.
West Rowan offensive lineman Mike Norman was selected for the game but turned down his invitation.
Also in the game is West Iredell’s C.J. Gibbs, who will play for Livingstone next year.
Admission is $10, and there will be a fireworks show at halftime.
American Legion
Rowan County won’t play tonight due to a field conflict at Finch Field.
Rowan will play Game 3 of its best-of-five series with High Point on Thursday at Finch Field.
If Rowan wins, it will return to Newman Park for Game 4 on Friday.
Randolph won 5-2 in the first game of a best-of-five series with Statesville on Tuesday.
Minor leagues
Greensboro’s Wilfredo Gimenez squeezed a two-out single past first base in the bottom of the 11th inning to score Matt Smith and give the Grasshoppers a 5-4 win on Tuesday afternoon at NewBridge Bank Park.
The Intimidators return to CMC-NorthEast Stadium for a four-game series against Charleston on Thursday. Post-game fireworks are planned for Saturday, July 21.
Daniel Wagner (South Rowan) went 1-for-2 for Birmingham on Tuesday and stole a base. Wagner is batting .250 since being promoted to Double-A ball.
Whit Merrifield (Davie) stole his 21st base for Wilmington on Tuesday.
Corey Seager (NW Cabarrus) drove in two runs for Ogden in a 5-2 win against Helena on Tuesday.
Major leagues
Kyle Seager (NW Cabarrus) drove in two runs for Seattle in a 9-6 win against Kansas City on Tuesday. Seager leads the Mariners with 56 RBIs.
Bobby Parnell (East Rowan) was charged with a blown save in the New York Mets’ 5-4 loss in 10 innings to Washington on Tuesday.
Parnell was called on to protect a 3-2 lead in the ninth, but he allowed singles to Michael Morse, Adam LaRoche and Danny Espinosa as the Nationals scored one run and forced extra innings. Parnell struck out two in the inning.
West football camp
West Rowan’s football camp on Friday and Saturday will have some expert instruction. The camp is Friday from 6-8:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.
Running the camp are former Falcon stars K.P. Parks (Virginia), Chris Smith (Arkansas) and Jon Crucitti (Army), among others. The cost is $40. Prospects can register at the school from 5-6 p.m. on Friday.
Southeast football
Southeast Middle will start football conditioning on Tuesday, July 24, from 6-8.
All participants must have a current physical on file, wear appropriate clothing and bring a water bottle.
Conditioning days will continue each Tuesday and Thursday from 6-8. Call Coach Mitchell at 638-5564 with questions.
College football
Carson-Newman head football coach Ken Sparks is recovering following a diagnosis of — and surgery for — prostate cancer. He has divided the last three weeks since surgery between rest, periodic stints at his office and consulting physicians.
Sparks owns 299 career victories and is moving ahead with plans for the season and the Aug. 30 opener with Glenville State. He will meet with his medical team in the coming days, after they have examined recent blood work and lab tests. He says those results and his doctors’ recommendations will determine a treatment protocol.
Sacred Heart camps
Sacred Heart is offering a basketball mini-camp for boys and girls on Aug. 15-17. Camp is from 3-5 p.m. for grades 3 through 5 and from 5-7 p.m. for grades 6-8.
Registration fee is $25.
Cheerleading mini-camp is offered on Aug. 14-16 for kindergarten through fifth grade. Camp is from 1-3 p.m. Registration is $25.
A soccer Skills & Drills camp is offered on Aug. 10. The camp is open to all. The camp is for kindergarten through third grade from 8-11 a.m. and for grades 4-8 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
The registration fee is $10.
Contact Sacred Heart AD Katie Meseroll to register or for more information at kmeseroll@salisburycatholic.org or (704) 633-2841, ext. 214.
Youth baseball
Rowan Little League defeated Walkertown 5-4, Southwest Forsyth 13-6 and Davie County 2-1 to win the Junior League District 2 Championship. Rowan will travel to the Northwest Forsyth Little League Complex for state tournament play starting July 21.
Youth softball
The Rowan Little League softball 8U all-stars finished as state runner-up in Sylva.
In pool play, Rowan lost to Franklin 5-0 and defeated Jackson County 16-6. In bracket play, Rowan defeated Forest City 20-1, Canton 13-0 and lost to Franklin in the championship game 14-3.
Leading hitters were Allison Ennis, Ellen Yang, Taylor Walton, Kary Hales and Brooke Kennerly.
Other team members are Mallory Link, Anna Claire Thompson, Morgan Humble, Caylie Keller, Megyn Spicer and Emily Cipolla.
The manager was Steve Yang. Coaches were Rob Hales, Kari Ennis and Chris Keller.
East soccer
East Rowan soccer will have workouts from 8-10 a.m. on July 19-20, July 23 and July 26-27.
Local golf
The Corbin Hills Ladies held a Criss-Cross event on Tuesday.
Low gross was won by Toni Iossi. She was followed by Kristi Laton and Beth Calhoun. Low net was won by Susan Wydner. She was followed by Carolynn Ries and Cindy Carmazzi.
Low putts went to Joy Maughmer and Norma Burgess.
Seventy-five GARS members played at Warrior earlier this week.
Low ‘A’ Flight player with a net of 61.76 was O.J. Chandler.
Low ‘B’ Flight player with a net of 62.88 was Mickey Ousley.
Low ‘C’ Flight player with a net of 64.37 was Walter Moore.
Low ‘D’ Flight player with a net of 62.39 was Leonard Robbins.
Junior Legion
The Post 66 Junior Moors (ages 14-16) qualified for the state tournament by winning a best-of-five series with Rowan County.
Members of the Moors are Louis Simms, Zach Little, Chris Hatley, Ryan Hussey, Wyatt Cote, Hunter Shirey, Petey Segovia, Jamie Anderson, Caleb Poteat, Nico Ferretti, Dylan Galbo, Austin Portelance, Riley Zayicek, Devin Renfroe, Garrett Hall, Brock Williams, Tyler Freeland, Josh Ladowski and Trey Ford.
Clark Benfield is the coach.
The state tournament is in Swansboro. The team leaves for the tournament on Friday.
The Moors blew a big lead but held on to defeat Kernersville 10-9 Tuesday night.
Mooresville led 9-3 in the top of the sixth before Kernersville tied it up with a six-run inning. Mooresville then scored the eventual winning run in the seventh on a two-out single.
Mooresville plays Swansboro Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Kernersville takes on Jacksonville at 3:30.
Catawba hoops camp
Catawba basketball’s Position Play Camp will be held at Myrtle Beach, S.C., on July 30-31. Go to www.e-timeout.com for information.