After a stormy finish to the American Legion regular season, Rowan County and Southern Rowan open best-of-five first-round playoff series tonight in what is known in the new format as the “conference round.”
Rowan (17-7) will be at Newman Park at 7 against Concord, and Rowan has been on a serious roll, winning eight straight since a 6-5 road loss against the Mooresville Moors on June 19.
Slugging first baseman Chance Bowden and pitcher-outfielder Brian Bauk have been at the forefront of Rowan’s hot streak.
Rowan demolished Concord 17-0 in a rain-shortened game in its regular-season finale. Rowan won 11-4 at Concord in a conference game and won 7-1 at Concord in a non-conference game.
Concord did win against Rowan in 2012, taking a 7-4 decision at its home field at Central Cabarrus High.
Rowan will play at Concord on Wednesday and will be back at Newman Park for Game 3 on Thursday.
• Southern Rowan (13-8) and Stanly only played one official game this season, with Southern winning that one 4-1 on its home field behind John Daugherty.
The second meeting was washed out several times.
The Southern program is back in the playoffs after missing out last year and has qualified for the playoffs 15 times in its 18 seasons.
Southern has played Stanly three times previously in the playoffs. Stanly took a first-round series in 1998 and swept a second-round series in 2006. South won an exciting first-round series three games to two in 2004.
• The playoffs will continue with a “divisional” second round in which Southeastern teams take on Southwestern teams. That will be followed by a “crossover” third round in which the two remaining Southern Divison teams will battle the two Northern Division teams that are left.
The two survivors from the crossover round will represent Area III in the state tournament in Wilson.
Rowan is seeking its first Area III title since 2009. Concord hasn’t won Area III since 1983. High Point has won the last two Area III championships. See Scoreboard for a list of Area III and state champs.

The Kannapolis Intimidators pounded out 16 hits and beat Augusta 8-6 at CMC-NorthEast Stadium on Monday.
Mike Marjama had a career-high four hits for the Intimidators.
The series continues tonight at 7:05 p.m.
•Northwest Arkansas’ Whit Merrifield (Davie) had 11 hits in a four-day stretch to push his batting average to .252. Merrifield, who starred at South Carolina, has 13 RBIs in his last 10 games for Kansas City’s Double A team.

Roy Dixon III (Salisbury, UNCG) led sectional qualifying for the Carolinas Amateur at The Club at Irish Creek on Monday.
Dixon shot 33-35 — 68.

Seventeen players shot 72 or better to qualify, including locals Andrew Morgan (South Rowan) and Andrew Purcell (Carson, USC Upstate).
Morgan shot 32-29 — 71, while Purcell shot 35-37 — 72.
Troy Beaver (Salisbury, Elon) shot 73. Eric Edwards (Salisbury) shot 75.

The Hurley YMCA Warriors competed in the AAU National Junior Olympics Qualifier held at UNC Charlotte.
Top-five finishers qualified for the Junior Olympics in Detroit on July 28-Aug. 3 and top-eight finishers received medals and ribbons.
8U

Abigail Calvert, fourth in 800 in 3:38, first in 1500, 7:44
Macy Jaynes, eighth in 200 in 40.67, fourth in 400 in 1:31.97, third in 800 in 3:23
Eli Julian, first in 800 in 2:47, first in 1500 in 5:43
Age 9

Emma Calvert, third in 800 in 3:05, first in 1500 in 6:23
Karrigan Foster, fourth in 800 in 3:50, second in 1500 in 7:45
Matthew Burroughs, second in 800 in 3:01, second in 1500 in 6:11
Phillip Cressler, third in shot with 11-4 3/4, fifth in turbo javelin with 30-4
Nate Shaffer, third in 800 in 3:13, third in 1500 in 6:41, fourth in turbo javelin with 32-5
Age 10

Noah Julian, third in 800 in 2:49, second in 1500 in 5:42
Jacob Walker, fifth in 400 in 1:29.28, fifth in 800 in 3:28, second in long jump with 8-9 1/2
Parker Westbrook, fourth in 800 in 2:51, third in 1500 in 5:56
Age 11

Leah Cressler, first in 800 in 2:51, first in 1500 in 5:48, first in 3000 in 12:41
Jalen Houston, first in 100 in 13.56, first in 200 in 29.24, first in 80 hurles in 13.69
Zach Jaynes, third in 800 in 3:05, first in 1500 in 6:11, first in 3000 in 12:53
Aubree Cain, first in 800 in 2:59, second in 1500 in 6:11
Lauren Dorman, second in 800 in 3:06, third in 1500 in 6:36
Age 13

Andrew Burgess, first in 1500 in 4:48, first in 3000 in 10:31
Age 14

Emmeri Cain, first in shot put in 23-2, second in discus in 45-10
Tabitha Landy, second in 100 in 13.26, second in 200 in 27.5, first in 400 in 1:04.83
Ages 15-16

Lindsay Dorman, sixth in 200 in 32.32, seventh in 400 in 1:15.39, fifth in 800 in 3:15
•

Rowan Express athletes also competed in the National Qualifier in Charlotte.
8U

Brittany Ellis, first in shot put with 4.22 meters, fourth in long jump with 2.24 meters, sixth in the 100 in 19.63
Age 10

Breasia Ellis, first in turbo javelin with 13.16 meters, first in the shot with 4.96 meters, second in the long jump with 2.58 meters
Age 11

Braquan Ellis, first in turbo javelin with 6.46 meters, first in discus with 6.38 meters, second in the shot with 4.83 meters
Age 12

Braniya Goodlett, first in discus with 12.98 meters, first in the shot with 5.95 meters
Age 14

Jared Wallace, first in shot with 8.90 meters, second in discus with 20.54 meters
Ages 17-18

Darius Wallace, third in 400 in 55.07
Chris Patterson, first in triple jump in 13.24 meters, second in 110 hurdles in 15.96

Football workouts for summer conditioning at North Rowan Middle begin Tuesday, July 9, from 5:30-7:30.
Workouts are for rising seventh and graders who plan to play football. Meet at the locker room at 5:30.
T-shirts, shots, cleats and tennis shoes will be needed.
Workouts will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30-7:30.
If you already have your paperwork and a copy of a current physical, bring it on July 9. If not, all paperwork will be available.
Call coach Kent Ryan at 704-223-0369 for information.

Falcon Basketball Camp will be held at West Rowan High on July 15-18 for rising 2nd-8th grade boys and also for 2nd-5th grade girls.
Camp is from 9 a.m. until noon. Cost is $50.Campers receive T-shirts.
West coach Todd McNeely will instruct the girls and West coach Mike Gurley will instruct the boys, with help from players and staff.
Contact Gurley at 704-798-2074.