From staff reports

LANDIS — North Rowan star Jalen Sanders and many of his teammates haven’t  fully transitioned from basketball to football yet, but the Cavaliers still won 62-42 at South Rowan on Wednesday.

“We’ve had our team together for a week, so we’re still learning each other,” said North Rowan coach Andrew Mitchell, who guided his team to the 2A state title game a year ago. “But I really liked our effort tonight and I liked the way our leaders led.”

Josh Handy led the Cavaliers (2-0) with 18 points, while Sanders scored 15. Henderson Lentz and Taheem Mungin made two 3-pointers apiece.

Sanders had eight points in the second quarter as the Cavalier broke open a close game. North Rowan took a 32-21 halftime lead on a layup by Paris Hillie.

Handy had two buckets early in the second half as the Cavaliers pushed their lead to 17, and South Rowan (1-2) wasn’t able to seriously cut into the lead.

“We got better tonight,” South Rowan coach Bryan Withers said. “We’ll be OK. We just have to keep our heads up and stick together.”

South Rowan will get a big boost soon. Qwan Rhyne, the top scorer returning for the Raiders, should be back from a hand injury in a week or so.

Lavon Hill has carried the Raiders in his absence. He had 33 points and 14 rebounds in Tuesday’s loss to Concord and he had 21 against North Rowan.

South Rowan just couldn’t get the ball inside to the 6-foot-4 forward enough.

“We’re a whole lot smaller than we have been, so we were very concerned with Hill,” Mitchell said.  “We’ve got to rebound better than we did tonight.”

North Rowan is hosting 4A Ardrey Kell Thursday.

NORTH ROWAN (62)

Handy 18, Sanders 15, Lentz 8, Mungin 6, Hillie 5, Scott 2, Sirleaf 2, Stoner 2, Dubose 2, Shields 2.

SOUTH ROWAN (42)

L. Hill 21, Wilder 9, Finger 4, D. Hill 3, Littlejohn 2, Stewart 2, Rary 1, Childers, Penninger, Parks.

 

N. Rowan     18  14  11  19   — 62

S. Rowan      12   9   10    11  — 42

East Rowan boys

East Rowan’s boys are 2-0 after beating Central Davidson 68-59 at home on Wednesday.

Austin Love (17), Ian Bradshaw (16), Bravon Goodlett (15) and Logan Shuping (10) scored in double figures for the Mustangs.

“We shot lights-out in the first half and took command,” East Rowan coach Trey Ledbetter said. “We rebounded well, especially Bradshaw, and scored in transition well.”

Shuping hit two 3-pointers early and the Mustangs made nine.

Jarrod Walls scored 26 for the Spartans.

 

C. DAVIDSON (58)

Walls 26, Wall 14, Jarvis 7, Little 6, Oxendine 3,  Washington 2.

EAST ROWAN (69)

Love 17, Bradshaw 16, Goodlett 15, Shuping 10, Davis 6, Caldwell 2, Se. Wyrick 2, Sa. Wyrick 1.

C. Davidson     13  16     16   13   — 58

E. Rowan           21   23   12    13  — 69

East Rowan girls

East Rowan’s girls rolled 56-16 against Central Davidson on Wednesday.

Kelli Fisher (19), Shenique Pharr (16) and Amani Ajayi (12) scored in double figures for the Mustangs.

Ajayi had 11 rebounds and four assists. Jocelyn Lowe had five assists.

C. DAVIDSON (16)

Robertson 6, Pigg 6, Skeen 2, McIntosh 2.

EAST ROWAN (56)

Fisher 19, Shenique Pharr 16, Ajayi 12, J. Lowe 4, Troutman 4, Eller 1.

C. Davidson     3     5      2      6      — 16

E. Rowan           8   16   17    15    —  56

 

 All-SPC football

All-SPC football teams were released by the league on Tuesday night.

Carson linebacker Anthony McCurry was named SPC Defensive Player of the Year. McCurry had 104 tackles, plus 61 assists. He had 14 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles.

South Rowan punter Marshall Long was  named SPC Kicker of the Year.

Concord running back Rocky Reid was named SPC Offensive Player of the Year. Hickory Ridge’s Nate Mullen was named Special Teams Player of the Year.

Defensive linemen Darius Williamson and Derrick Moreland, running back Harrison Baucom,  DB Quameak Lewis, receiver Kortez Weeks  and offensive lineman Jacob Radtke represented West Rowan on the team.

East Rowan’s All-SPC players were QB Samuel Wyrick, receiver Seth Wyrick, safety Willie McCree and cornerback Wesley Porter.

South Rowan’s All-SPC players were Long, kicker Brennan Lambert and defensive lineman Alex Parham.

Carson’s All-SPC players were McCurry and running backs Darren Isom and Brandon Sloop.

Catawba men

Catawba rallied to beat Chowan 74-69 on the road on  Wednesday.

Catawba (3-3) got 21 points from Rakeen Brown and 20 from Jerrin Morrison to overcome the Hawks (4-2). KJ Arrington added 13.

Catawba plays Carson-Newman at home on Saturday afternoon.

Salisbury boys

Salisbury’s boys won 72-66 at South Iredell in a non-conference game on Tuesday.

D.J. Alexander scored 13 points and Tre Oats had 12 to lead the Hornets (3-1). Will Leckonby hit a key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.

Tyzden Graham had 19 for the Vikings.

 

SALISBURY (72)

Alexander 13, Oats 12, Williams 9, Rayner 9, Troutman 9,  A. Yang 8, Leckonby 6, Fazia 4, Strickland 2, Fleming, J. Yang, Milsaps.

SOUTH IREDELL (66)

Tyzden Graham 19;

S. Iredell:  Winford 2; Phillips 6; Houston 4; Settle 4;  Angle 8; Holmes 6; Bell 9; Vinson 8

Salisbury     12  18  24  18 — 72

S. Iredell     18  19  20    9  — 66

 

West Rowan boys

Celexus Long scored 20 points and freshman Caleb Mauldin had 14 in West Rowan’s 67-65 loss to Mooresville on Wednesday.

• Amare Morris scored 15 points and Long and Martavio Rankin had 14 each in a 59-54 win against Northwest Cabarrus on Tuesday.

SPC hoops

Cox Mill’s girls lost to Robinson 53-22. Sydni Bickford scored 17 for the Bulldogs.

• Robinson’s boys beat Cox Mill 71-69.

Connor Boothe scored 20 for the Bulldogs, while Jordan McKenzie and Daniel Spencer had 16 each.

Jonathan Earl paced the Chargers with 16.

•Gabby Smith scored 22 points to lead Hickory Ridge’s girls to a 47-27 win against Concord.

Jayvee hoops

North Rowan’s boys won 45-40 in overtime against South Rowan.

Jisiah Dixon scored 12 for the Cavaliers. Dajoun Clements scored five points in overtime.

Tyler Peacock led South Rowan with 14 points. Jaqwon Hester had nine.

 

8th-grade hoops

West Rowan’s boys won 50-39 against Southeast. Anthony Chance scored 26 points for the Bulldogs. Robert Caldwell scored eight, and Payne Stolsworth had seven points,  eight rebounds and five steals.

Malik Robinson scored 10 points to lead the Patriots. Josh Lee had eight points and five assists, and Bryson Moss scored seven.

Prep boys swimming

Salisbury’s won a CCC meet Tuesday with 131 points. West Davidson scored  106 and East Davidson had 51.

• Lexington scored 260 and won a CCC meet with North Rowan (213) and Thomasville (58).

Prep girls swimming

Salisbury scored 134 points and won Tuesday’s meet with West Davidson (83) and East Davidson (77).

North Rowan scored 128 points and won a meet with Lexington (125) and Thomasville (22).