From staff reports

The NCHSAA announced pairings for the dual team state wrestling playoffs on Monday.

Four teams head to a host site. First-round and second-round matches will take place tonight.

• In 3A, A.L. Brown (12-11) is a host team and wrestles Weddington (23-8). The winner of that match wrestles the SW Guilford-Asheboro winner.

• In 4A, Davie County (31-2) is a host team and wrestles Greensboro Page (13-9) in the first round.

The winner of that match takes on the Lake Norman-Porter Ridge winner.

• Mooresville also is a 4A host team.

The Blue Devils (31-1) battle West Forsyth (11-8) in the first round. The winner takes on the High Point Central-McDowell County winner.

• In 3A, NPC champ West Rowan (17-3) is on the road tonight. The Falcons wrestle against Alexander Central (17-16) in the first round.

The winner takes on the Piedmont-North Gaston winner. Piedmont (31-2) is the host team.

• In 1A, North Rowan (4-8) made the playoffs as a wild card.

North will wrestle Voyager Academy (9-0). The winner takes on Uwharrie Charter (37-0). Uwharrie Charter is the host team.

North Rowan’s Nautica Patterson won the Yadkin Valley Conference tournament championship at 182 pounds.

MLB

The Kansas City Royals announced the signing of Whit Merrifield, 30, to a four-year contract through 2022, with a club option for 2023.

Merrifield (Davie County) will make $1 million in 2019, $5 million in 2020, $6.75 million in 2021 and $2.75 million in 2022.

HS basketball

Ledford’s Lyrik Thorne, a Catawba signee, became Davidson County’s all-time leading scorer on Monday.

Thorne broke a record set by West Davidson’s Henrietta Walls 40 years ago.

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In CCC games tonight, South Rowan is at Oak Grove and Salisbury hosts Central Davidson.

In NPC games, Carson hosts South Iredell, East Rowan is home against North Iredell, and West Rowan is at Statesville.

Salisbury’s girls are in first place in the CCC, while Carson is in a three-way tie for first in the NPC.

The biggest boys game of the night is North Rowan at North Stanly. North Rowan is still unbeaten in the YVC, but lost to the Comets in a Christmas tournament game at Catawba. North Rowan also still has a YVC game to be played in Spencer against North Stanly.

A.L. Brown is at Concord in SPC action.

Davie County is at Reagan in the CPC. Davie’s boys still have a perfect conference record.

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A new NCPreps media poll was released on Monday.

Carson’s girls are tied for third in 3A. Salisbury’s girls are sixth in 2A. Davie’s boys are sixth in 4A. North Rowan’s boys are eighth in 1A.

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North Davidson’s seventh-ranked boys outscored West Davidson on Monday, 100-89, to stay unbeaten in the CCC.

The Black Knights (14-3, 11-0) got 39 points from Themus Fulks, 25 from Jamerien Dalton and 12 from Landon Moore.

Zavier Measmer scored 32 for the Green Dragons, and Macon Stovall had 27.

Minor leagues

The Kannapolis Intimidators announced that they’ll have 16 fireworks nights this season, starting with the opener, April 4.

HS softball

South Rowan’s Courtney Mullins has signed with Surry Community College.

The catcher batted .279 with nine RBIs for the Raiders as a junior.

HS soccer

South Rowan junior standout Madison Henry has committed to UNC Wilmington.

Henry scored 61 goals as a sophomore, a county record for a season.

She scored 30 goals as a freshman and is on track to  shatter the county career record of 101 this spring.

HS track and field

The indoor track state championships are coming up this weekend in Winston-Salem, with 3A action on Friday , Feb. 8, and 1A/2A and 4A action set for Saturday, Feb. 9.

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A.L. Brown qualified its 4×800 team for the 3A championships on Saturday  in Winston-Salem. That unit is Kevin Stegall, Gabe Blackwelder, Addonance Brown and Tanner Roth. They ran 8:42.

A.L. Brown also has qualified its 4×400 team for the state meet. That unit consists of Josh Parks, Brown, Roth and Jalen Neal.

Parks cleared 6 feet, 4 inches Saturday to tie for first in the high jump and was fifth in the 55 meter hurdles in a PR of 7.65.

Blackwelder ran a PR mile time of 4:55 on Saturday.

Running

East Rowan junior Adalie Harrison was the overall female winner in the Winter Flight 5K held at  Catawba on Sunday.

Mid. school  hoops

Erwin’s girls defeated China Grove, 28-15.

Erwin was led by Allie Martin with 16  points and Kori Miller with six.

China Grove was led by Avery Crowell with six points and Lairel Everett with five.

  

Local golf

On a chilly, sunny, non- windy day, there were 10 winners in the McCanless Couples competition.

Harry Owen, Ty Cobb, David and Azalee Huneycutt took the day.

Walt Kincaid and Mary & Gene Seaford tied for second with the team of Calvin Smith and Ralph & Pam Carver.

Azalee Huneycutt got closest to the pin. Mary Seaford had longest putt.

College track

UNC Greensboro’s Brandon Hernandez (A.L. Brown) finished third in the mile at the JDL College Dual Meet Madness in Winston-Salem.

The freshman ran 4:26.66, an indoor PR.

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Livingstone’s  Shania Darrell placed second in the 60-meter hurdles Saturday at the Finn Pincus Invitational in Roanoke.

The Blue Bears broke several school records.

The LC men’s sprint medley relay team comprised of  Khalil Hayes, Daveon Howard, Cameron Cummingham and Antoine Ewell placed second in the  1600 meter relay (3:46.34).

The women’s 1600 meter relay team of Jaela Norman, Shakeynah Mays,  Darrell and Gabrielle Glasco placed second in  4:30.62.

College hoops

Anderson’s Alexy Mollenhauer and Ace Easter shared the SAC player of the week honor for women’s basketball.  Easter made 13 3-pointers and scored 47 points against Mars Hill. She made nine straight 3s to tie the NCAA record.

Mollenhauer surpassed 1,000 career points and had her 12th and 13th double-doubles of the season.