Area Sports Briefs: Catawba announces Hall of Fame class

Published 12:26 am Thursday, September 24, 2015

From staff reports
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula (Class of 1990) and Jim Gantt (1989), a head baseball coach who consistently leads his teams to championships, will be inducted into the Catawba Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 13.
The Hall of Fame class also includes two-sport star Mike Reynolds (1970) and basketball great Art Wade (1998).
The Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1977. This class brings the membership to 179.

Jim Gantt
Gantt played baseball at Catawba from 1985-89 and earned all-conference honors in 1988. He has made a huge impact as the Catawba baseball coach, taking the team to a pair of NCAA II College World Series appearances.
As a player, Gantt hit .297 over a 105 game career as a third baseman for the Catawba Indians. In his all-conference campaign of 1988, he batted .322 and drove in a dozen runs in helping Catawba to its first conference championship in 24 years.
In 1997, Gantt took over as the head coach with Catawba and has notched 683 wins over 19 seasons. He has been named the South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year seven times. In 2012 and 2015 the Indians advanced to the NCAA II World Series and he guided the team to a runner-up finish this past season.
Gantt has led the Indians to eight conference championships and six league tournament titles during his tenure. Catawba has advanced to NCAA regional play nine times. In addition to his success with Catawba, Gantt has led the Rowan County American Legion team to a pair of World Series appearances and was twice named the North Carolina Amateur Coach of the Year. Earlier this year, he was inducted into the North Carolina American Legion Hall of Fame.
Gantt is married to Adrian Whitley Gantt. They have a three-year-old daughter, Blakely Kiah Gantt.

Mike Reynolds
Reynolds was a two-sport standout for Catawba, starting four years in both football and baseball. In 1970, he was a 26th round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox and advanced as far as AA ball. He was a three-time minor league All-Star. He roomed with Bucky Dent in rookie ball and also played with well-known major leaguers Jerry Hairston, Brian Downing and Goose Gossage.
At Catawba, Reynolds was a two-time All-NAIA District 26 performer in both sports. He played both receiver and defensive back in football and was co-captain as a senior. He made 35 career catches for 443 yards and had at least six interceptions as that stat is only available for two of his seasons.
As a catcher in baseball, Reynolds had a .264 career average with 12 homers and 61 RBI. He batted .318 as a freshman and hit five home runs as a sophomore. One of his biggest games came as a junior when he collected seven RBI in a win over Atlantic Christian.
Reynolds has been elected to the Williamston High School and Gloucester County (NJ) Halls of Fame. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have four children, Dan, Elizabeth, Brad and Rebecca, as well as seven grandchildren.

Jim Tomsula
Tomsula played two years of football for Catawba and helped the team to a share of the 1988 South Atlantic Conference championship and its first NAIA National Playoff berth. Following his playing career, Tomsula returned to Catawba as an assistant coach before entering the professional ranks, first with NFL Europe then with the San Francisco 49ers where he now serves as the head coach.
Tomsula made 109 tackles in two seasons as a defensive lineman for the Indians. Among those stops were five sacks and another six for losses.
Returning as an assistant coach for Catawba in 1996, Tomsula helped his alma mater to four SAC Championships and four NCAA playoff berths. In 2001, Catawba advanced to the national semifinals.
Tomsula spent several years as a coach in NFL Europe and was the defensive coordinator for the Berlin Thunder in 2004 when they claimed the World Bowl title. He became the head coach for the Rhine Fire in 2006 before the league finally folded.
In 2007, Tomsula joined the staff of the San Francisco 49ers as a defensive line coach. He helped the team to three playoff berths and a Super Bowl appearance in 2012. He had served as an interim head coach for one game of the 2010 season and was named the 49ers head coach following the 2014 season.
Tomsula and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Britney and Brooke, and a son, Bear.

Art Wade
Wade was a three-year starter in men’s basketball and helped the team to a pair of conference championship teams. In 1998, he was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year in helping the Indians to its first-ever NCAA II post-season berth.
Wade enjoyed a stellar career at Catawba, scoring 1,492 points which currently ranks 15th in school history. He also ranks among the top 10 all-time in three-pointers made (134), free throws made (370), free throw percentage (.781) and assists (423).
In 1998, Wade led the team in scoring with a 16.5 average and was named All-South and a NCAA II All-American. He was named All-SAC in his final three seasons. Wade was the SAC Tournament MVP in 1998, tying the school record with nine three-pointers in the finals against Wingate.

The Nov. 13 festivities will begin at 5:30 pm in Goodman Gym with a dinner and induction ceremony at 6:30 pm. For more information on tickets, sponsorships and special requests, contact Joey Knight at 704-637-4393 or at jnknight14@catawba.edu.
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Prep football
The North Rowan at West Stokes and Robinson at Carson varsity football games have been moved up to tonight at 7:30 p.m. due to the weather forecast for this weekend.
The jayvee games for those teams will be played on Monday.

Prep soccer
Salisbury’s soccer team opened CCC play with a 7-1 win at East Davidson.
Landon Goodman had two goals, while Andrew Kalogeromitros, Brandon Ibanez and Bryan Fragoso had one each for the second-ranked Hornets (10-0-2). It was Fragoso’s first tally of the season.
The final two goals were own goals.
Josh Lynch had three assists for Salisbury. Reilly Gokey and Nick Veros had one each.
Salisbury’s jayvees tied East Davidson 3-3.
Salisbury plays at Lexington on Monday. Game times are 5:30 p.m. and 7.
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In South Rowan’s 4-1 loss to Hickory Ridge, Walker Joyce scored for the Raiders. Cameron Corriher made 11 saves.

Prep cross country
Carson’s boys won a cross country at Salisbury Community Park.
Scores were Carson (24), West Rowan (41), East Rowan (54), Concord (206) and South Rowan (309).
Carson’s Zachary Marchinko won in 16:35.
Top 10 finishers: 2. Sean Incardona, East, 17:36; 3. Dylan Koontz, Carson, 17:47; 4. Garret Ingold, Carson, 17:52; 5. Andrew Burgess, West, 17:52; 6. Michael Anton, West, 17:57; 7. Grant Doby, Carson, 18:04; 8. Chance Brown, East, 18:18; 9. Jonah Evans, Carson, 18:20, and 10. Cameron Butler, West. 18:21.
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Scores in the girls meet were Carson (24), East Rowan (53) and West Rowan (62) and Concord (119). South Rowan had no team score. Carson’s Jesse Nichols was the individual winner in 20:29.
Top 10 finishers: 2. Taylor Wiggins, Carson. 21:10; 3; Faith Faller, East, 21:18; 4. Josie Heglar, West, 21:55; 5. Faith Blume, East, 22:12; 6. Summer Blais, Carson, 22:20; 7. Hannah Venable, Carson, 22:42; 8. Olivia Gabriel, Carson, 22:49; 9. Kelly Short, Carson, 23:49, and Brieanna Owens, West, 24:04.

Prep tennis

Salisbury won 9-0 against East Davidson in CCC tennis on Wednesday.

Singles
(1) Kayla Honeycutt (S) d. K. Nance 6-0, 6-0
(2) Kathryn Rusher (S) d. L. Gloor 6-0, 6-0
(3) Grace Steinman (S) d. A. Wike 6-0, 6-0
(4) Maria Capito (S) d. B. Carroll 6-0, 6-0
(5) Emily Capito (S) d. K. Porter 6-0, 6-0
(6) Julia Honeycutt (S) d. B. Blair 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
(1) K. Honeycutt/Rusher (S) d. Nance/Gloor 8-0
(2) M. Capito/Steinman (S) d. Wike/Carroll 8-0
(3) E. Capito/J. Honeycutt (S) d. Porter /Blair 8-0
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Carson won 9-0 against South Rowan in SPC tennis on Wednesday.

Singles
(1) Gabi Jolly (C) d. Cierra Hunter 6-2, 6-0
(2) Sierra Fesperman (C) d. Mariah Mason 6-1, 6-1
(3) Emily Sloop C) d. Kaitlyn McCombs 6-0, 6-0
(4) Erika Meadows (C) d. Marissa Siders 6-1, 6-2
(5) Margaret Correll (C) d. Kristen Minehart 6-1, 6-0
(6) Maddy Pepper (C) d. Lauren Shell 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
(1) Jolly-Fesperman (C) d. Hunter-Mason 10-1
(2) Sloop-Meadows (C) d. McCombs-Sides 10-1
(3) Correll-Pepper (C) d. Minehart-Shell 10-1
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West Rowan won 9-0 against Central Cabarrus in SPC tennis on Wednesday.
West’s next match is Monday at East Rowan.

Singles
(1) Payton Holt (WR) d. Bonny Harris 6-0, 6-0
(2) MacKenzie Koontz (WR) d. Hannah Asibal 6-1, 6-1
(3) Tabitha Landy (WR) d. Cora Lashua 6-1, 6-0
(4) Ivy Rabon (WR) d. Christenin Westbrook 6-0, 6-0
(5) Amber White (WR) d. Anna Workman 6-0, 6-0
(6) Abby Johnson (WR) d. Princess Tope 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (4)
Doubles
(1) Holt/Koontz (WR) d. Harris/Asibal 10-0
(2) Rabon/Autumn Kinley (WR) d. Lashua/Westbrook 10-2
(3) White/Johnson (WR) d. Workman/Tope 10-1
Hailey Chuor (WR) won exhibition 6-0.

Prep volleyball
West Rowan lost 25-11, 22-25, 26-24 and 26-24 to Robinson in SPC action.
Mady Myers had 13 kills. Hannah Moseley had nine kills, and Taylor Quinn added eight.
Taylor Martin had 36 digs. Khara Fesperman had 20, and Abbey Williams added 13.

Mid. school softball
Karley Teague struck out eight and pitched a one-hitter as Erwin won 10-0 against China Grove.
Teague, Kaitlyn Samples, Liza Simmerson, Emily Cipolla and Kaitlyn Eller led the offense.
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Erwin (4-3) won 17-1 against Knox. Victoria Lewis, Maci Cooper and Keeler Goodman led the offense. Isabelle Schroder pitched a no-hitter.

8th-grade football
West Rowan (3-0) rolled 46-6 against Knox.
Jalen Houston scored three touchdowns on runs of 46 and 17 yards and a fumble return of 16 yards.
Houston rushed for 101 yards on six carries.
Gerquavius Weeks scored touchdowns on runs of 50 and 8 yards and had 92 yards on five carries.
Jay Joseph added a 10-yard scoring run and added a 2-point conversion.
Federico Cruz was 4-for-4 on PATs. He’s 12-for-12 this season.
Jaxon Wheeler also added a PAT kick.
West Rowan scored all 46 points in the first half.
The offensive line was led by Carter Jenkins, Calub Pope, Edwin Berrios, Drake Martin, Jonny Hassard, Bryson Coleman, Mike Molenda, Daniel Sell and J.T. Bost.
West defensive standouts were Pope, Martin, Jake Carlton, Zach Miller and Joseph. Miller, Houston, and Weeks recovered fumbles. West will travel to Southeast next Wednesday.

College golf
China Grove’s Carley Cox is competing for James Madison’s women’s golf team. She shot 86-80-76 — 242 and finished 81st in the Lady Paladin Invitational in Greenville, S.C.

College football
The American Sports Network’s broadcast of Saturday’s football game between Appalachian State and Old Dominion will be televised live on WCCB (Channel 18).

Masters baseball
Tim Still (Salisbury, Wingate) is competing with the Red Sox in the championship series of Charlotte’s Masters League.
The 40-year-old Still is a rookie in the league and is batting .571 with 35 RBIs.
Still hit two homers and drove in eight runs in a single game.

East Y programs
Register at he East YMCA for girls basketball (grades 2-8) and Little Shooters basketball before Oct. 24. A boys basketball league for grades 2-8 is coming. Register from Oct. 31-Dec. 19. Contact Joe Finney at 704-279-1742 or jfinney@rowanymca.org.