From staff reports

Former Salisbury High star Eric Edwards  shot 5-under 139 (67-72) for third place in a  U.S. Amateur sectional qualifier  on Monday at The Resort at Glade Springs.

In finishing third, Edwards earned second alternate status for the 117th U.S. Amateur Championship next month in California. He qualified and played at the U.S. Amateur last year for the first time but will have to wait and see if any spots open up this year.

Edwards made six birdies and one bogey in the first round.

Edwards, a rising senior at George Mason,  finished one stroke behind co-leaders Ashton Poole (Virginia)  and Connor Creasy (Wake Forest freshman).

Poole defeated Creasy in a four-hole playoff to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. Creasy earned first alternate status.

“All in all, a terrific 36 holes of golf,” George Mason assistant coach Don Kelly said. “Eric has made a real commitment to working on his game this summer. His dedication and hard work is showing through and will propel him to success this season.”

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Stephen Carroll, a former Concord star who will be a freshman at East Carolina, shot 66 on Tuesday for the first-round lead in the 68th Carolinas Junior Boys championship at Cabarrus Country Club.

Michael Childress of Salisbury, a rising senior at Cannon School and a Richmond commit, shot 71 and is tied for 24th.

AAU basketball

West Rowan rising senior Egypt Alexander, Carson rising senior Olivia Gabriel and South Rowan rising junior Janiya Downs were members of the Carolina Dynasty Dream Team that went 8-0 and won an AAU national championship in Louisville.

All three girls were first team All-Rowan County in 2017. Downs was county player of the year.

Legion baseball

Randolph County romped to a 16-2 win against Wilmington and won the state championship on Tuesday.

Since Randolph is the Southeast Regional host,  state runner-up Wilmington also will play in the Southeast Regional.

The regional will be played at McCrary Park, Aug. 2-6.

Local golf: GARS

Sixty-four GARS members played in their own foursomes at Warrior.

Low ‘A’ Flight player was Clayton Steele with a net of 65.36.

Low ‘B’ Flight player was Frank Masingo with a net of 62.67. Low ‘C’ Flight player was Ralph Brown with a net of 58.51. Low ‘D’ Flight player was Norman Schenk with a net of 60.80.

Low gross score was Larry Petrea with a 71.

Ten members shot their age or better.

Winsten Mahaffey, 80, shot a 75; Ben Moore, 80, shot an 80; Masingo, 81, shot a 78; Ken Miller, 81, shot an 81; Clive Mahaffey, 82,  shot an 80; Lou Manning, 83, shot an 81;  Steele, 85,  shot a 78; Brown, 86, shot a 77; O.J. Chandler, 88, shot an 80, and J.C. Ritchie, 92,  shot an 85.

Minor leagues

Jerry Sands (Catawba) has picked it up lately with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Sands  has  two homers and 14 RBIs and is batting .287. Both homers have come in the last week.

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Craig Brooks (Catawba) is still on an amazing run out of the bullpen for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. Brooks got his first Double-A save on July 23.

Brooks has struck out 21 batters in his last 10 appearances while allowing no runs and four hits in 14 innings.

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Luis Martinez earned a record-tying 16th career win with the Kannapolis Intimidators while pitching a two-hitter against the Columbia Fireflies on Monday.

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The Intimidators committed a season-high five errors and fell to the  Fireflies, 9-2, on Tuesday  at Intimidators Stadium.

West Rowan

    Any athlete interested in trying out for a fall sport at West Rowan must have a completed eligibility packet on file before he or she will be allowed to tryout.   

Eligibility packets may be picked up from their coach, in the West Rowan High School main office, or online @ wrhsfalcons.com.

Tryout dates

July 31

Volleyball, 8 a.m.

Tennis 8:30 a.m.

Cross country 7 p.m. (Salisbury Community Park)

Football 6 p.m.

August 1

Soccer.  5 p.m. (Salisbury Community Park)

Little League softball

The Rowan softball minors all-star team lost to Tennessee, 5-0, in the finals of the losers bracket and finished third in the Southeast Region Tournament of State Champions in Cunningham, Tenn.

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The Southeast Regional for ages 11-12 starts in Warner Robins, Ga., on Thursday.

Rowan Little League will play its first game early on Friday.