From staff reports
UNC Pembroke sophomore Avery Locklear (South Rowan) had one of her best games of the season on Wednesday, making four 3-pointers and scoring 16 points in a 62-56 loss to Mount Olive.
Locklear is averaging 8.3 points for the Braves (4-2).
UNC Pembroke returns to action on Saturday at home against Clayton State. It will be “Ugly Sweater Day.”
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Brielle Blaire (North Rowan) made her season debut for Texas Tech on Thursday and made a 3-pointer in Wednesday’s 79-45 win against Central Arkansas.
The Red Raiders (6-3) host Alcorn State in Lubbock on Sunday.

Men’s basketball
Emmanuel handed Pfeiffer its first loss of the season on Thursday, beating the Falcons, 91-84.
Andrew Guerrero led the Falcons (7-1, 2-1 Conference Carolinas) with 19 points and knocked down four 3-pointers. Keith Jumper added 17 points and 13 rebounds.
The Falcons have a long layoff until their next game on Dec. 30.
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D.J. Copeland (A.L. Brown) had 19 points and eight rebounds and led Newberry to a 98-85 South Atlantic Conference win against Mars Hill on Wednesday.
Copeland is averaging 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Wolves.
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Malik Ford (North Rowan) had a big dunk in Johnson C. Smith’s 71-50 win against Tuskegee on Thursday.
Ford scored seven points.

Prep basketball
The Dale’s Sporting Goods Sam Moir Christmas Classic will be held at Catawba onDec. 28-30.
The six public schools in Rowan County will be participating, along with Mooresville and Davie County.
North Rowan’s teams are the defending champs.
Seeds will be determined by pre-Christmas winning percentage and may not be finalized until the final pre-Christmas games are played on the night of Dec. 22.
Head-to-head is a tiebreaker in case teams have the same record. If head-to-head doesn’t break the tie, seeds will be determined by a coin flip.
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In games tonight, East Rowan hosts Robinson and South Rowan is home against Hickory Ridge.
West Rowan plays at Concord, while Carson is at Northwest Cabarrus.
Hough is at A.L. Brown. Davie County is at Reagan.
Salisbury and North Rowan are idle.
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Carson’s Jamarius Hairston is leading Rowan in scoring with 18.5 points per game.
South Rowan’s Janiya Downs and West Rowan’s Egypt Alexander are tied for the scoring lead for Rowan girls at 17.5 ppg.

Prep football
A.L. Brown offensive linemen Jeremy Davis and Malachi Lyles, defensive linemen Elijah Hall and Najee Williams, DBs Steven Howie and Cinsere Allison, linebacker Sherard Sutton and punter Kevon Jacobs were named to the All-MECKA team.
Vance’s Aaron Brand received coach of the year honors. Vance QB Kingsley Ifedi was named the top offensive player, while Mallard Creek linebacker Isaac Hampton received defensive honors.

Salisbury Academy
The Salisbury Academy varsity boys basketball team lost to Hickory Christian Academy, 33-18.
Jude Lockhart and Wade Robins led the scoring for the Jaguars with six points each.

8th-grade boys
North Rowan won against Knox, 47-37, in a matchup of two of the top boys teams.
Zay Davis led the Mavericks with 16 points. Javon Smith scored 10, Jaharion Graham had eight, Kendrell Goodes scored six, and Nick Colson added five.
North is at China Grove on Monday.
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Erwin won against Southeast, 39-38, in a back-and-forth game.
Isaac Hinceman made a game-winning free throw with less than a second left.
Sammy Pinckney scored 10 points to lead the Eagles. David Jordan scored eight, and Tahj Young had six.
The Eagles will play China Grove on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

8th-grade girls
Erwin stayed undefeated by beating Southeast, 40-21.
Carleigh Perry and Colbie Perry scored 11 points each. Jenna Robinson scored eight for the Eagles, while Lani Isley and Liza Simmerson had five each.
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Knox defeated North Rowan, 31-26.
Jahavanique Horton had 15 points for the Trojans (8-3).
Lillie Rusher had eight points, including the go-ahead 3 pointer with a minute left in the game.
Knox is at Corriher-Lipe on Monday.

Prep softball
Hickory Ridge outfielder Gracyn Polk signed with Wingate. A team captain, Polk hit .482 during her junior season with a .550 on-base percentage.

Sacred Heart hoops
Sacred Heart varsity boys lost to Statesville Christian, 27-22.
Ben Childress led the Dolphins with eight points, Nick Antosek had seven and Jalon Walker scored six.
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Sacred Heart’s Rachel McCullough had 14 points as the varsity girls won against Statesville Christian, 26-24.
Sutton Webb added points. Caroline Cardelle was tough on defense.
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The Sacred Heart jayvee boys lost to Statesville Christian, 32-28.
Curtis Walker had 10 pts and four steals. Cooper Fleeman had eight points, Kaiden Dulkoski scored six, and Soyer Cornelison had four.
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The Sacred Heart girls won, 12-10, against Statesville Christian.
Faye Carol Shellhorn led the Dolphins with four pointsMaggie Antosek played great defense.

Gray Stone athletics
Gray Stone’s Brittany Blackmon was named Uwharrie Conference Coach of the Year for volleyball Gray Stone’s Casey Cleghorn, Ivy Overcash, Savannah Poole and Makaila Vang made the all-conference team.
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Gray Stone’s Ryan Almond, Frank Rivell and Chase Viscomi made the all-conference team in soccer.
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Gray Stone’s Miriam Roy, Abbey Styers and Lilley Brookshire made all-conference in tennis. team.