“I’m excited and terrified at the same time.”

— Chris Masingo, who followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by recently opening his own auto repair shop

“We weren’t expecting 100 today. But the girls were ready to play.”

— Terrence Baxter, women’s basketball coach at Catawba College, after a 100-51 win over Lees-McRae last Saturday

“The best part of being a father and a husband is the love. They lift me up whenever I am going through something. I can go home and look at them, and it’s all love.”

— Dominique Bates, who found his passion when he became a career development coordinator working with students to chart their career paths after first working in information technology, speaking about his wife, Kathryn, and daughter, AnnaMarie

“The finish line is just the beginning for these girls. They are setting and accomplishing goals.”

— Amy Spear, events coordinator for Girls on the Run of the Greater Piedmont, during the annual 5K run last weekend to mark the end of the 10-week after-school program designed to inspire girls of all abilities

“Accountability is the word for us this season. … I like this team’s chemistry.”

— Andre McCain, boys basketball coach at South Rowan High School, who foresees steady improvement for a squad coming off a 4-21 season last year

“Being yourself is much better than faking for friends. Be yourself. Be kind to everybody. If you’re too cool, you’re going to miss out on a lot of stuff.”

— Alexis Archie, a senior business major at Livingstone College, speaking to students during career day at North Rowan High School