From staff reports

Former Salisbury soccer star Sutton Webb is enrolled at Mississippi State this semester after transferring from Georgia.

The 5-foot-6 freshman redshirted at Georgia in the fall  and still has four years of eligibility. She’ll be  in action for Mississippi State next fall.

Mississippi State was one of the schools that recruited Webb hard out of high school. She set goal-scoring  records in soccer and starred in track and field and cross country and was Rowan County Female Athlete of the Year for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

“Sutton was someone who we recruited in her initial process so we know her well,” Mississippi State coach James Armstrong said.  “She is quick and incredibly fit which is something that is  important to us as we look at building a new backline for the fall.”

Peeler commits

Salisbury softball star Katie Peeler announced a commitment to Furman.

The junior batted .500 for the Hornets as a sophomore with five homers, six doubles, five triples, 33 runs and 23 RBIs in 21 games.

Coach dies

Tony DiPaolo, a Catawba Sports Hall of Famer, has passsed away.

A stellar lineman at Catawba in the 1950s, DiPaolo began a distinguished coaching career at China Grove High and South Rowan and became a legend in the Pennsylvania high school coaching ranks.

A story is upcoming.

HS football

Salisbury junior defensive back Deuce Walker has been offered by Marshall.

Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Charlotte and Campbell also have offered him.

Catawba men

ANDERSON, S.C. —  Catawba’s men’s basketball team won 89-76 at Anderson on Wednesday.

The Indians (16-6, 11-2) scored 52 points in the second half.

Adrian Scarborough led the way for Catawba with  15 points on  7-for-7 shooting from the field. DeAngelo Epps added 13 points, while Javeon Jones posted a statline of 11 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Peyton Gerald was the fourth Indian in double figures, also with 11.

Myles Jenkins and Jacksen Greco  scored 19 points each for Anderson.

Catawba forced Anderson into 18 turnovers and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, resulting in a 28-9 advantage in points off turnovers and 16-6 edge in second-chance points.

The Indians opened thesecond half with a 20-4 run.

  The Catawba Indians return to Goodman Gym on Saturday, hosting Limestone for a 4 p.m. tip.

  

Catawba women

ANDERSON, S.C. — Catawba’s women’s basketball team won 69-62 against Anderson on Wednesday.

Catawba built a 43-27 halftime lead and was able to hold on at the Abney Center.

Catawba shot a little better than the Trojans and had a 20-12 advantage in the turnover battle.

Lyrik Thorne scored 24 points for the Indians,  with 13 in the fourth quarter. Janiya Downs scored 21, including 17 in the first half.

Diamond McDowell scored 20 for Anderson.

Catawba is home against Limestone at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

That’s Play4Kay Kay Yow Cancer Fund game.

Catawba           20  23   8   18   — 69

Anderson         15  12  19  16   — 62

Catawba — Thorne 24, Downs 21, Dubose 5, McIntosh 4, Wampler 4, Foskey 4, Ford 3, Baker 2, Porter 2.

SAC women

Bryanna Troutman (Salisbury) had 16 points and seven rebounds as Wingate  pounded Lenoir-Rhyne 92-64 on Wednesday.

Livingstone women

Alyssa Boyce scored 12 points and Andresia Alexander had 10 in Livingstone’s 72-59 non-conference loss to Salem University at New Trent Gym.

Catawba baseball

SALISBURY — Catawba trailed 5-0, but won 12-5 in a non-conference baseball game played at Newman Park on Tuesday.

An eight-run fourth inning swung the game in Catawba’s favor.

Dylan Driver is making a tough game look easy. He’s 12-for-17 so far.

The Southeast Region and South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week, Driver went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a two-run double.

Driver’s homer was one of three launched by the Indians (3-1), their first three long balls of the young season. Warmer weather had to help.

Jackson Price swatted a grand slam in the big fourth inning. Carson Yates hit a three-run homer in the sixth.

Catawba’s bullpen was a key to the win, with Cole Hales and Casey Gouge shutting down Mount Olive over the last five innings.

 Catawba travels to Florence, S.C. this weekend, playing USC Beaufort on Saturday and early Sunday before taking on host Francis Marion later on Sunday

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The annual First Pitch Dinner on Saturday raised $102,000 for Catawba baseball.

Catawba softball

Catawba won two from USC Aiken on Sunday.

Courtnee Carter and Brianna Gallagher homered in a 7-1 win, and Alexandra Baquie pitched a complete game.

Molly Strider homered in a 3-0 win, and Savannah Beaver and Emma Zieg combined on a shutout.

• Francis Marion outscored Catawba 19-12 and 7-5 in a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Catawba hit three homers but couldn’t overcome a 16-run first inning by FMU in the 19-12 setback.

Riley Tucker went 4-for-4 and Carter and Strider homered in the 7-5 loss.

College track

Livingstone’s David Bradford set the indoor school record in the 400 meters with a time of 49.81 seconds for CIAA Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors. He placed third in the Camel City Classic in Winston-Salem.

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Catawba’s Aislynn Reagle ran a 5:07.42 mile at the Camel City Classic to break the program record. She placed second in the 5000 meters in 17:18 and is the  South Atlantic Conference  Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week.

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Catawba’s MeKayla White was named SAC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week. She was second in the Camel City Invitational in the long jump and third in the triple  jump.

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Pfeiffer’s top female runner Madison Lowery (South Rowan) ran a 5:12 mile in the Camel City Classic in Winston-Salem.

Pfeiffer’s Trent Rivers (South Rowan) ran a 4:48 mile.

Elizabeth Jones (North Hills) broke a school record with a weight throw of 48 feet. 6.5 inches.

   

College volleyball

  Pfeiffer University has named Heather Schoch as its new head volleyball coach.

Schoch comes to Pfeiffer after serving as head volleyball coach at Cox Mill High School.

Local golf

Crescent ace

Mario Cuellar made a hole-in-one on Tuesday, acing the No. 10 hole at The Revival Golf Course at the Crescent.

He used an 8-iron from the white tees.

The feat was witnessed by Ken Crooms, Jeff Stout, and Rob Shoe.

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McCanless Couples

On a somewhat, sunny Sunday, Pdaber, Heather DePalma-Spivey, Ralph Carver and Clarence Hobart took first place.   

Crystal Clement and David  & Azalee Hunetycutt  placed second.

Hobart had closest to the pin and longest putt.

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Warrior

The annual Spring Two Man Mulligan will be held March 4-5.

Registration is under way.

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GARS

GARS members played a handicapped Captain’s Choice Tournament at Corbin Hills.

First with a minus-19  was the team of Tommy Lambert, Wayne Kluttz and Lynn Shook.

Second place with a minus-18 was the team of David Scearce, Dickie Peeler, Andy Griffin and John Goodman.

There was a two-way tie for third place with a minus-16 by the  team of Ken Anderson, Ted Weant and John Mitchell and the team of Ray Pope, Gordon Correll and Hal Jordan.

Jim Brown had the longest putt on No. 9, while closest to the pin was won by Goodman.

Four eagles were made.

Team Pope, Correll and Jordan eagled the par-5 No. 6 hole.   

Team Anderson,Weant and Mitchell eagled the par-5 No. 18 hole.

Team Scearce, Peeler, Goodman, and Griffin eagled the  6th and 18th holes.