From staff  and wire reports

Catawba’s softball team split a doubleheader at Mars Hill on Saturday.

After taking a 9-1 pounding in the opener, Catawba  got five quick runs in the second game and went on an 8-3 South Atlantic Conference victory.

Kaylee Cook had two hits for the Indians  (22-17, 9-7). Madison Hunter started and took the loss.

• In the second game, Cook, Taylor Martin and Jordan Dean had two hits each. Leah Huggins homered and had two RBIs. Allie Baker had two RBIs.

Brooke Walser (6-6) allowed two homers but pitched a complete game.  She struck out seven.

Catawba is part of a tie for first place.

College baseball

Catawba dropped a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader at Newberry on Saturday, as the Wolves completed a series sweep with 9-5 and 5-2 victories.

In the opener, Hunter Shepherd homered for the  Indians. Robbie Cowie had two hits. Sawyer Strickland  (5-2)  took the loss.

• Jeremy Simpson and Henderson Lentz had two hits each for Catawba (34-12, 17-7)  in the second game. Shepherd (5-4) took the loss.

Newberry is one win away from clinching the SAC championship.

• Catawba lost 4-2 on  Friday despite a strong start by Bryan Ketchie.

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Ike Freeman (East Rowan) had three hits, including a homer and drove in three runs in North Carolina’s 13-6 win against Notre Dame on Saturday.

College tennis

Catawba’s men are seeded eighth for the South Atlantic Conference Tournament and  play at No. 1 Wingate on Monday at 2:30 p.m.

College track

At the Aggie Invitational, NC A&T freshman Cambrea Sturgis (A.L. Brown)  ran 11.24 in a 100 meter preliminary on Friday, her best time of the season.

That time could land her a top-10 ranking this week.

HS basketball

South Rowan girls basketball standout Janiya Downs was named to the Associated Press All-State team that was announced on Friday.

Downs was one of three girls who were unanimous All-State picks by the media. A Catawba College signee, Downs broke numerous school and county records this season. She averaged 32.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.2 steals.

• Downs will be honored by the NCHSAA on April 27 as one of its performers of the week winners.

• Downs also has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West All-Star Game that will be played in Greensboro on July 15.

While that complete roster isn’t available yet, one of Downs’ teammates will be Carson’s McKenzie Gadson.

Carson’s Brooke Stouder is the West team’s assistant coach. North Surry’s Shane Slate is the head coach.

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Cox Mill’s Wendell Moore Jr., a Duke recruit, was voted AP Player of the Year for boys basketball. He averaged 25.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals for the Chargers.

AP co-players of the year for girls basketball were Callie Scheier of West Forsyth and Saniya Rivers of Wilmington Laney.

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Josh Hall, a 6-foot-9 forward in the Class of 2020, has risen quickly and is considered one the top prospects in North Carolina. He’s received offers from Kansas, N.C. State, Cincinnati, East Carolina and Appalachian State, among others. North Carolina and Duke are interested. Hall plays for Moravian Prep in Hickory.

Hall is the son of 7-footer Quincy Hall, who played at West Rowan from the 1992-93 season through the 1994-95 season. Hall played for coaches Charles Hellard and Bob Shipwash and scored 978 points for West teams that went 24-3, 27-1 and 25-4. Hall played collegiately at East Carolina despite major injuries to both knees.

His best season for the Pirates was 1998-99 when he averaged 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds and blocked 28 shots. He lives in Durham.

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North Stanly star Bryson Childress, who will play in the East-West All-Star Game, is headed to Hargrave Military Academy for a year of prep school. He made that announcement on Friday.

HS football

Josh Sophia, defensive coordinator for North Rowan football in recent seasons and a West Rowan assistant before he came to North, has been hired as the head football coach at Camden County in northeastern North Carolina.

Sophia  will be trying to rebuild a program that was 0-11 last season.

High school baseball

The West Rowan-Carson game was rained out on Friday and rescheduled for Monday.

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West Rowan and Rowan County American Legion pitcher Scout Nichols is headed to Erskine.

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Carson pitcher Deacon Wike announced a commitment to Catawba on Friday.

Wike is 4-1 with a 1.22 ERA. He’s pitched two shutouts.

Minor leagues

  HICKORY —  Curtis Terry, who had homered earlier, hit a walk-off double in the 11th inning, as the Hickory Crawdads defeated the Kannapolis Intimidators 6-5 on Saturday.

Kannapolis starting pitcher  Konnor Pilkington  allowed one run and one hit over six innings. He   struck out eight and walked one.

Cole Uvila (2-0) got the win in relief, while Bennett Sousa (0-1) took the loss in the South Atlantic League game.

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Zac Almond (Catawba) had four hits and two RBIs for Kane County on Friday.