From staff reports

Catawba’s baseball team was picked to win the South Atlantic Conference by league coaches.

Catawba got eight first-place votes.

Tusculum was voted No. 2 , while Newberry was voted No. 3.

Catawba first baseman Chance Bowden, starting pitcher Russ Weiker, reliever Bryan Blanton and DH Malachi Hanes are preseason first team All-SAC picks.

Kyle Smith was picked for the second team.

The SAC baseball season gets under way on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

SAC Poll (First-place votes, points)

1.     Catawba (8)                                          107

2.     Tusculum (1)                                          90

3.     Newberry (1)                                         86

4.     Carson-Newman (1)                              78

5.     Lincoln Memorial                                  74

        Wingate                                                  74

7.     Lenoir-Rhyne                                         70

8.     Mars Hill                                                  39

9.     Anderson                                                38

10.  Coker                                                       37

11.  Brevard                                                   19

Prep football

North Rowan defensive end Zion DeBose (North Rowan) is being recruited by a host of Division I schools.

The senior plans to announce his decision on Feb. 3.

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North Rowan’s all-county nose guard Steven Thurston has committed to Averett.

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Salisbury High is starting to trim the field of candidates for its vacant head coaching position.

The school has received more than 50 applications since Ryan Crowder resigned  after four  seasons as head coach.

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West Rowan receiver Kortez Weeks received an offer from Elon on Thursday.

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Mark Holcomb will be the first head coach at new Davidson County  school Oak Grove.

Holbcomb has been at North Davidson the past 17 years, including 13 seasons  as head football coach.

Oak Grove is in Midway and was built to relieve overcrowding at North Davidson and Ledford.

Ledford, North Davidson and Oak Grove will be part of the 10-team Central Carolina Conference next fall. That league will include Salisbury and South Rowan.

Prep girls soccer

Salisbury junior Julia Honeycutt, Rowan County Player of the Year as a sophomore,  has committed to the Charlotte 49ers.

Women’s hoops

Morehead State’s Shay Steele (West Rowan) had 17 points, five rebounds, four blocks and four steals in Wednesday’s 79-65 win against Tennessee Tech.

Men’s hoops

Armstrong   Atlantic held Keshun Sherrill (West Rowan) to 18 points  and beat Augusta on Wednesday, 86-79.

Rowan Little League

Rowan Little League baseball and softball registrations are from 9-3 on Jan. 28,  Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 at Godley’s Garden Center on Statesville Boulevard.

Parents can also register online anytime at http://www.rowanlittleleague.com.   Contact Jeff Bernhardt at 704-326-5255 for more information.

7th-grade girls

Erwin defeated Southeast, 44-19. Hannah Isley led  the Eagles (3-0) with 13 points.

Maddie Honeycutt scored 10 points,  Katelyn Griggs had nine, and Haley Dalton scored  eight.