From staff reports

Rowan County Little League softball turned in an impressive performance to start Southeast Regional play on Thursday in Warner Robins, Ga.

The Rowan team (ages 11-12) is looking for its third  straight regional title in Georgia and crushed Darlington (S.C.) 17-0.

Rowan scored seven runs in the top of the first and was never seriously challenged. Emma Clarke drove in the first run.

Campbell Schaen struck out the side in the first inning and combined with  Karsen Simpson and Kendall Robinson to throw a no-hitter.

Robinson hit an inside-the-park homer for Rowan (8-0) and went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Brooke Piper  went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and scored the first run of the game after drawing a walk.

Cailynn Winford was 4-for-4 and scored three times. Karsen Simpson went 2-for-3 with two runs.

Rowan plays West Virginia today at 2 p.m.

In the other games on Thursday, Tennessee beat Georgia, 12-0, and West Virginia topped Virginia, 6-3.

Prep FB jamboree

The Rowan Football Jamboree will bring all the county teams together at West Rowan High for scrimmages one week before the start of the season.

The date is Friday, Aug. 10. NFL player Chris Smith (West Rowan)  is the lead sponsor.

The cost is $6. Money raised will be split equally among the six county schools.

The plan is for this to be an annual event, with the schools taking turns as the host team.

This scrimmage is the only time this season that  Salisbury-West Rowan and North Rowan-East Rowan matchups will occur.

The schedule

6  p.m. — Carson vs. West Iredell

7 p.m. – South Rowan vs. West Stanly

8 p.m. — East Rowan vs. North Rowan

9 p.m. — Salisbury vs. West Rowan

College FB: Stout

­­The preseason watch list for the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy, which is given to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement, includes Appalachian State senior defensive tackle MyQuon Stout (Carson).

Stout’s 41 tackles last season rank first among the Sun Belt Conference’s returning interior linemen, and he’ll enter 2018 as a third-year starter who has been named a preseason All-Sun Belt second-team selection by the league’s coaches and media.

Stout was named a team captain as a junior.

Stout also volunteered  e for Operation Christmas Child from Samaritan’s Purse, a read-along program from the Children’s Council of Watauga County, the completion of a Habitat for Humanity home project in Watauga County, a soap and shampoo drive for the Global Brigade, the Health and Hunger Coalition, the Humane Society of Watauga County and the Omar Carter Foundation.

  Stout carries a strong GPA and has produced some of his best on-field performances against App State’s toughest competition. He had six tackles last season against eventual FBS runner-up Georgia and three tackles, one stop for a loss and one quarterback hurry in the 2016 opener at Tennessee.

Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually at the All Sports Association’s Awards Banquet in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Semifinalists will be announced Nov. 1, and finalists will be announced Nov. 19.

The formal announcement of the 2018 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s press conference in New York on Dec. 4, and the presentation will occur Feb. 15 in Fort Walton Beach.

Intimidators

KANNAPOLIS— Kannapolis swept a doubleheader from the West Virginia Power on Thursday.

First-round pick  Nick Madrigal scored the deciding run on a wild pitch in a 3-2 win in the first game. his sacrifice fly plated the deciding run in a 2-1 win in the nightcap.

Kannapolis swept the four-game series.

Legion softball

Concord beat Kannapolis, 5-3, on Thursday in the   American Legion state playoffs.

Concord (18-2) got a complete game from hurler Madison Michael, who struck out eight batters.

Concord broke a scoreless tie with a five-run fifth.

Kannapolis got three  runs in the sixth, with Lauren Ritchie driving in two runs.

The loss ended the season for Kannapolis, while Concord advances to the state tournament today in Morganton.

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Kannapolis eliminated Davidson County on Wednesday, 7-5, with Kaylee Cook hitting a triple and driving in three runs. Kayla Smith had two triples. Kannapolis pitcher Tali Hagler drove in two runs.

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Shelby rallied to beat South Gaston, 6-4, on Thursday.

College track

Scholar teams of the year and All-Academic team honors for the 2017-18 Division II indoor and outdoor track and field seasons were announced Thursday.

In order to be considered for scholar team of the year, a program must finish high at the national championship meet and have at least a 3.00  team GPA.

Livingstone College’s men’s and women’s teams were honored for their academic performance by the USTFCCCA.

Legion baseball

Brilliant pitching by Landen Smith sparked host High Point Post 87 to a 5-0 win against Shelby at Finch Field on Thursday as the state tournament got under way.

Smith held hard-hitting Post 82 to two hits and pitched into the seventh inning.

Cameron Mills paced High Point’s offense. He went 3-for-3 and knocked in four runs in the Stars Pool game.

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Kyle Smith’s walk-off homer lifted Wilmington Post 10 to a 2-1, eight-inning victory at Finch Field against  Garner Nationals  in a thrilling Stars Pool game.

Smith and Rocco Farmintino had three hits each for Wilmington.

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At High Point University, Pitt County Post 39 used an eight-run first inning to beat Whiteville Post 137, 11-6 in a Stripes Pool game on Thursday.

Tyshawn Barrett drove in four runs for the winners.

Local golf

Match play begins today with the Round of 32 in the  Horace Billings Rowan Amateur at Corbin Hills.

Two-time defending champ Keith Dorsett and qualifying medalist Nick Lyerly are the top two seeds.

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In the Carolinas Junior Boys Championship  held in Elgin, S.C. Salisbury’s Charlie Barr (Cannon School) shot 76-69-77 — 222 and tied for 29th.