Area Sports Briefs: Diaz, Church honored as RSSS Athletes of the Month
Published 3:27 pm Wednesday, January 29, 2025
- Ben Goins and South's Mateo Diaz
East’s Mary Church and Ben Goins.
From staff reports
East Rowan basketball player Mary Church and South Rowan wrestler Mateo Diaz were named as the Rowan-Salisbury School System Athletes of the Month for December. The awards are sponsored by Randy Marion Automotive.
November winners were East Rowan runner and basketball player Sadie Featherstone and Carson cross country runner Jorge Clemente-Garcia.
October winners were South Rowan cross country runner Hope Julian and West Rowan football player Evan Kennedy.
September winners were East Rowan volleyball player Cameron Ostle and Salisbury football player Hank Webb.
August winners were North Rowan football player Jeremiah Alford and Salisbury tennis player Lucy Barr.
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GARS members played at Lexington Golf Club.
Low ‘A’ Flight player was Dickie Peeler with a net of 64.84.
Low ‘B’ Flight player was Wayne Kluttz with a net of 64.37.
Low ‘C’ Flight player was Lynn Shook with a net of 65.83.
Low ‘D’ Flight player was John Croote with a net of 62.81.
Peeler shot a 76 to win low gross and Croote won low net. Andy Griffin was Super Senior with a net of 68.17.
Two members shot their ages. Kluttz, 80, shot an 80. Bobby Clark, 85, shot an 85.
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FAYETTEVILLE — Livingstone’s women’s basketball team won 68-66 in overtime at Fayetteville State on Tuesday.
Thalia Carter scored 17 points and Morgan Kelson had 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Blue Bears won an exciting CIAA game that included 13 ties and 15 lead changes.
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Livingstone’s men’s basketball team struggled on Tuesday, shooting 25 percent and losing 65-42 at Fayetteville State.
King Ijeoma scored seven for the Blue Bears.
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Vance Honeycutt (Salisbury) is the third-ranked prospect for the Baltimore Orioles, while Cobb Hightower (East Rowan) is No. 14 on the prospect list for the San Diegon Padres.
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Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (Salisbury) is ranked 17th overall on the Drafttek board.
Georgia Tech defensive lineman Zeek Biggers (West Rowan) has been moving up on draft boards, as he’s been outstanding in East-West Shrine Bowl practices. Drafttek ranks Biggers 23rd among the defensive tackles available in the draft and No. 279 overall.
Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter (Cannon School) is ranked 17th among the kickers available in the draft. Jeter is unlikely to be drafted, but he will probably get a shot to make a team in an NFL camp.
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Salisbury’s Xaniyah Price signed with Johnson C. Smith’s bowling program.
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Donnie Kiefer was named as the new head football coach at Central Cabarrus.
He led the Vikings from 2012-16. and he’s been at lot of places and has had success at a lot of places.
Central Cabarrus is expected to be a 6A school this fall and expected to be in a conference with Cox Mill, Hickory Rodge, A.l. Brown and West Cabarrus, among others.
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East Rowan announced two new coaches — Shane Benfield for boys golf and Carlee Ludwick for girls soccer.
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East Rowan senior Sadie Featherstone finished 14th out of 58 runners in the 55 meter hurdles and had good performances in the 300 meters and 4×200 in a meet at Liberty University.
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Methodist University has offered a number of North Rowan football players, including linemen KaMahri Feamster and Jasper Neely and QB/linebacker Jeremiah Alford.
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West Rowan back Jaylen Neely received offers recently from NC Wesleyan, Randolph-Macon and Hampden-Sydney.
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South Rowan senior Michael Coles, Co-Player of the Year for Rowan County soccer, plans to sign with St. Andrews on Thursday.
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West Rowan baseball players Brice Knox, Gaige Scruggs and Eli Graham have signed with Surry Community College, while Chase Fisher signed with Pfeiffer.