From staff reports

The Rowan County Swim Meet is set to return on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Hurley YMCA.

COVID erased the county meet from the schedule in 2021.

Carson’s boys had a breakthrough victory in the 2020 meet.

Salisbury’s girls have won the last five county meets.

•••

Rowan County high school basketball should return to normal today after winter weather interrupted games last week.

In the Central Carolina Conference, Salisbury is home against West Davidson. North Rowan welcomes Thomasville.

Salisbury’s boys boast the county’s top two scorers in Juke Harris (23.8 points per game) and Cameron Stout (17.2). The Hornets (9-3, 4-0) have won seven in a row.

Like the boys, the Salisbury girls (12-1, 4-0) haven’t played a game since the Jan. 15 action against North Rowan. Senior Rachel McCullough’s quest for 1,000 has been stuck on 982 for a while.

Kyla Bryant (15.3 points per game) leads the Hornet girls. McCullough averages 13.5.

North Rowan’s girls (11-5, 5-1) have lost their last two, but they shouldn’t have any trouble getting back in the win column against Thomasville. Bailee Goodlett (18.9 points per game) and Hannah Wilkerson (16.9) are two of the county’s top scorers. Wilkerson has 1,360 career points and moved past Shemieka Brown into fourth place in North’s record book in the Cavaliers’ last game.

For the North boys (11-2, 4-2), who already have lost at Thomasville, this is a must-win to stay in the CCC race. Quashawn Carpenter (13.4 points per game) leads the Cavaliers.

In the South Piedmont Conference, scheduled games include South Rowan at West Rowan; East Rowan at Northwest Cabarrus, and Lake Norman Charter at Carson.

Carson’s girls (13-3, 6-1) lost at Northwest Cabarrus, while Northwest (9-1, 5-1) dropped a league game at West Rowan.

Lake Norman Charter (7-5, 4-2) is a pretty dangerous opponent. The Knights beat West Rowan and they have beefed up their roster since Carson won easily in the first meeting of the teams.

Seniors Mary Spry (17.0 points per game) and Hannah Isley (13.3) lead the Cougars. Camden Corley has scored in double figures three straight games and is one of the county’s most improved players.

West Rowan’s girls beat South Rowan 70-50 in the first meeting of the teams. The Falcons (8-4, 3-2) are still in the SPC race and are facing a huge week — at Northwest Cabarrus on Friday and home against Carson on Saturday. De’Mya Phifer (17.3 points per game) and Lauren Arnold (14.7) lead the Falcons.

Bethany Rymer (19.9 points per game) has been pouring in points for the Raiders and is averaging 24.5 per game since Christmas.

Rymer plans to sign with Columbia International soon for track and field and cross country. That’s the same school where her sister, Kira, plays volleyball. It’s also the school where North’s Wilkerson signed to play basketball.

West’s boys have played only 10 games, the fewest of any of the county teams. South’s boys have played 15. The Falcons have played only twice since the Christmas tournament and haven’t played since they were pounded by powerhouse Central Cabarrus on Jan. 7

William Givens (15.8 points per game) has scored in the 20s in his last three games and leads the Falcons. West faces a tournament-like grind this week with games scheduled Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Tee Harris has been a bright spot for the East Rowan boys and is one of the county’s top scorers with 16.3 points per game. Rebounding stats aren’t available for everyone, but he’s probably the county’s leader on the boards.

•••

Livingstone’s men’s basketball team won 90-72 against Johnson C. Smith in a game played on Sunday at New Trent Gym.

The Blue Bears are on a roll with four straight wins. They’re 5-2 in the CIAA, and most importantly, they’re 3-0 in Southern Division play.

Division standings will determine CIAA tourney seeding. The tournament is scheduled for the week of Feb. 22-26 in Baltimore.

Livingstone’s non-conference game at Morris was canceled. The Blue Bears are scheduled to return to action at St. Augustine’s on Thursday night.

•••

Livingstone’s women lost to J.C. Smith 67-57.

The Blue Bears fell to 0-3 in the Southern Division.

•••

Catawba’s women (15-2, 12-2 South Atlantic Conference) are still creating lots of turnovers and rank 11th nationally in turnover margin.

Shemya Stanback and Lyrik Thorne rank first and third, respectively, in the SAC in steals. Stanback, who starred at A.L. Brown, is in the top 10 nationally with 3.1 steals per game.

Catawba returns to action at home on Wednesday against Limestone.

•••

Former Salisbury star Bryanna Troutman is averaging 18.5 points on 52.1% shooting and is pulling down 7.5 rebounds per game for Wingate.

Troutman scored 26 in 21 minutes in Saturday’s 74-58 win against Carson-Newman.

Troutman is fifth in the SAC in scoring and leads the league in points per minute.

Wingate (16-1, 14-0 SAC) dropped a close one to Francis Marion on opening day and hasn’t lost since.

•••

Catawba got its track and field season started on Saturday at Roanoke, Virginia.

The Indians had 25 top-five finishers, with 15 coming on the men’s side.

Brien Pittman was the lone winner for Catawba. He took the 400 in 49.93 seconds.

•••
Catawba baseball is scheduled to open the season Feb. 3-6 in Florida.

The Indians are scheduled to play an afternoon doubleheader against Shippensburg at Newman Park on Feb. 12.
•••

Salisbury’s Jayden Gibson, who had an explosive senior season as a returner and defensive back, received an offer from Catawba’s football program.

•••

West lineman Josh Noble (who also plays basketball) has received many football offers and announced on social media that he’s trimmed his list of potential schools to Wofford, Campbell, Hampton and South Carolina. The offer from South Carolina is as a preferred walk-on, which means he’d be guaranteed of a spot on the team and would have a chance to earn a scholarship.

•••

Guaranteed Rate, a mortgage lending and digital financial service, and Richard Childress Racing announced a partnership with Tyler Reddick and his No. 8 Chevrolet for multiple races during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.

•••

Rowan Little League spring baseball, softball and T-ball registrations are being held at Godley’s Garden Center on Statesville Boulevard on Saturdays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, from 9 until 3.

Parents can also register online anytime at rowanlittleleague.com.

Baseball cost is $90 for all leagues, Leagues are T-ball (ages 4-6), Coach Pitch (ages 6-8), B (ages 8-10), A (ages 10-12) and JR/SR (ages 13-16).

Girls softball cost is $90 for all leagues: Leagues are  T-ball (ages 4-6), Coach Pitch (ages 6-8), 10U (ages 8-10), 12U (ages 10-12) and 14U/16U (ages 13-16).

Contact Jeff Bernhardt at 704-267-1146 for more information.