Salisbury’s girls tennis team dominated the 2A Midwest Regional held at Lexington and qualified all six girls for the individual state tournament.
The Salisbury doubles team of Alexandra Drye-Madeline Hoskins won 6-1, 6-4 against teammates Kayla Honeycutt-Anna Flynn in a battle to determine the region’s No. 1 seed for the state tournament.
“Both teams played really well,” Salisbury coach Scott Maddox said. “It’s kind of bittersweet when the girls face each other, but they are so close, it’s not a problem. They put friendship aside when they play, and it’s a pleasure to watch two skilled doubles teams go after it.”
Drye and Hoskins defeated familiar Lexington opponents 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals. Honeycutt and Flynn had advanced with a 6-0, 6-1 win over a team from the Central Academy of Technology and Arts.
• In the regional singles, it was the same story.
Salisbury’s Kathryn Rusher squared off with Salisbury’s Grace Steinman in the singles final.
Rusher won 6-2, 6-2 in the battle for the region’s top seed for the state tournament.
In the semis, Rusher won 6-2, 6-2 against Surry Central’s Marlee Wilmoth. Steinman won 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 against North Surry’s Sarah Glasco.
“Both played excellent tennis,” Maddox said. “Both have worked extremely hard to make themselves good tennis players and they are both peaking at the right time. I’m excited for them.”
• Salisbury returns to dual team action on Tuesday when it goes to Brevard for a second-round match.
East Rowan’s Lizzie Weaver placed third in the 3A Midwest Regional and heads to the state individual tournament for the third straight year.
East’s Laura Agner (singles) and the doubles teams of Rebecca Agner-Lauren Thomas and Drew Pethel-Emma Ritchie won first-round matches in the regional but were eliminated in the second round.
Laura Agner and Rebecca Agner-Thomas lost to Marvin Ridge. Pethel-Ritchie lost to a Ledford team.
• In dual team tennis, East hosts Weddington in a second-round match on Tuesday.
North Rowan’s volleyball season ended with a 28-26, 25-18 and 25-18 loss at West Stanly on Saturday in the first round of the 2A state playoffs.
“It was a winnable match, but we just had too many errors,” North coach Sandy Lytton said. “West Stanly didn’t have dominant players, but they had smart players and they were able to dig a lot of balls that are usually kills for us.”
North (11-10) was led by senior Brielle Blaire. She had 16 kills, two aces and her 82nd block of the season. Blaire finished the year with 321 kills.
Other seniors finishing their volleyball careers for North were setter Morgan Overcash, who had 26 assists and 11 digs, and Anna Lingle, who had seven digs and two aces. For the season, Overcash had 462 assists.
Aliyah Farmer had four blocks and four kills for the Cavaliers.
Makala Lytton had eight kills and two aces. The sophomore had 121 aces this season.
• Salisbury (10-11) was swept by West Stokes 25-12, 25-7 and 25-23 in the first round of the 2A playoffs.
Olivia Smith led the Hornets with nine kills and 27 assists. Nyasia Harris had five kills and five blocks. Emma Labovitz had 20 digs and two assists. Mary Seifert led the Hornets in assists.
• West Davidson (15-7) swept Parkwood and advanced to host West Stokes in the second round.
Top-10 4A teams that lost on Friday included No. 4 Butler, a loser to Rocky River, and No. 10 Raleigh Wakefield, a 40-19 loser to Millbrook.
The only top-10 3A team to fall on Friday was No. 9 Forestview, which lost to No. 2 South Point 49-34.
Two top-10 2A teams lost, with No. 8 Shelby losing 38-34 to Burns, tied for fourth in 3A, and No. 10 South Granville losing 22-14 to Southern Vance.
The top-10 teams in 1A had a perfect week.
No. 5 Tarboro won 78-14 against Rocky Mount Prep.
Catawba’s women’s tennis team (4-4) topped King 7-2.
Catawba’s men’s tennis team (4-4) topped King 5-4.
Both Catawba teams closed out their fall season.
Catawba’s men’s team lost to Brevard 2-1 Saturday on an own goal with 1:57 remaining in regulation.
Catawba is 7-4-1 and 3-4-1 in the SAC.
• Kali Chaplin scored as Catawba’s women’s team won 1-0 against Brevard.
Brevard held off Catawba 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 14-25 and 15-10 at Goodman Gym on Saturday.
Catawba fell to 3-12 and 3-10 in the SAC.
Haley Lanier had 16 kills for Catawba, and Erin Morant had 15. Both posted career highs.
Joy Oswalt had 13 kills for the Tornados (5-12, 2-11). Amanda Possidente (East Rowan) had seven digs.
• Aimee Cloninger (Carson) had nine kills and four digs as Catawba Valley Community College won against Brunswick CC on Saturday.
Tiffany Brooks (South Rowan) had six kills.
• Cloninger had seven kills and two aces and Brooks had 1.5 blocks in a sweep of Lenoir CC,
CVCC is 34-0.
East Rowan YMCA is registering for Little Shooters Basketball for ages Pre-K to first grade.
No games will be played on Saturdays.
Registration ends Oct. 26.
Practice starts Nov. 4.
The season starts Nov. 18.
• Register for girls basketball for grades 2-8 through Oct. 26.
Games and practices start during the week at 5:30 p.m.
Registration ends Oct. 26.
Practice starts Nov. 4.
The season starts Nov. 18.
• Boys basketball registration for grades 2-8 starts Nov. 2 and runs through Dec. 21.
Practice starts on Jan. 6. The season begins Jan. 20.
Register at the East Y or online at www.rowanymca.org. Contact Joe Finney at 704-279-1742 for information.
Lenoir-Rhyne pounded Newberry 35-14 on Saturday in a game for first place that was played at Moretz Stadium in Hickory.
Junior fullback Isaiah “Ike” Whitaker (Salisbury) rushed for 163 yards and scored three touchdowns as Lenoir-Rhyne won its sixth consecutive contest.
After Newberry’s Dominique Walker returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown early, L-R reeled off 35 unanswered points.
Whitaker scored the Bears’ first two touchdowns including a 3-yard run in the second quarter that gave Lenoir-Rhyne the lead for good.
The Bears held a 14-7 lead at the half.