South Stanly Baseball advances to 1A state title game with win at Murphy

After having made the five-hour trip up to Murphy tonight to see South Stanly's 19-8 win over Murphy in Game Three of the NCSHAA 1A regional finals, one word can describe the experience: exhausting.

And if I am sitting here at my computer gasping for breath, imagine what the Bulls' players had to endure through seven innings of baseball today with the temperature gauge starting at 91 degrees at the game's 5 p.m. start time.

You have to be dedicated to your schools and to the game of baseball to play under these condititions, which is certainly true of South Stanly and Murphy.

In speaking to the Bulldogs and their fans on Saturday and up here in the mountains today, I heard at least three or four times what a class act and what good and worthy opponents South Stanly was for their team and their boys.

I wanted to thank all of the Murphy fans that were so kind to my wife and I today...it's not always being the reporter covering the visiting team at a state playoff game, but Laura and I felt welcome and appreciated.

For more details of today's game, a full story will be in Tuesday's print edition and online at www.thesnaponline.com later Tuesday!

So, Rebel Bull Nation...make your plans to be in Raleigh as soon as possible! South goes for their second state title in three years against the 21-4 East Columbus Gators on Friday! I'll have further details on the game in the paper and on Facebook, Twitter and this blog as soon as I can!!!

South Stanly baseball evens regional series with Murphy

The South Stanly Rebel Bulls exploded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 5-2 win over Murphy in Game Two of the 1A West Regional finals Saturday night at South Stanly.

Russ Weiker earned the win on the mound for South, going the complete game for the Bulls and giving up two earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Taylor Cardell took the loss for the Bulldogs, throwing five innings of one-hit shutout ball for Murphy.

For the first five innings, the two teams combined for only three hits as both pitchers kept hitters off balance.

Michael Kornea gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the second inning with an RBI double, scoring Justin Coker.

In the top of the sixth, Murphy got back-to-back doubles from Brooklyn McKeon and Josh Cook to lead 2-0.

South rallied in the bottom of that frame for five runs on five hits, including RBIs from Landon Fraley, Jordan Starnes and Grayson Short, along with a two-RBI double from Weiker.

Game Three of the 1A West Regional Series is Monday at Murphy. Game time is tenatively scheduled for 5 p.m. but may be moved up to 4 p.m.

Check this blog for more information on Monday's game, along with Facebook and Twitter as well!

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W: Russ Weiker (7 IP, 2 ER, 4 hits, 1 BB, 8 K)
L: Taylor Cardell (6 IP, 4 ER, 6 hits, 2 BB, 9 K)

South Stanly baseball loses in Game One of the 1A West Regional Series

South Stanly led 4-1 going into the seventh inning in Friday's regional matchup at Murphy, but a four-run bottom of the seventh lifted the host Bulldogs to a 5-4 win in the opening game of the best-of-three 1A West Regional series.

For more information on this and other Stanly County sports stories, please visit www.thesnaponline.com.

South Stanly softball advances; South baseball rained out

The South Stanly softball team advanced to the sectional finals on Tuesday night with a 5-3 win over East Wilkes.

More details plus video highlights and more coming soon to the print edition and www.thesnaponline.com!

West Stanly Softball RRC Finals

West Stanly Softball RRC Finals

Stanly County high school playoff games cancelled to tomorrow...maybe...

All of the playoffs games scheduled for tonight have been rescheduled for tomorrow, if the rains stops anytime soon. Further updates on the games will be on here, Facebook, Twitter and www.thesnaponline.com.

Softball playoff pairings released by NCHSAA

Here are the 1A and 2A West Region softball pairings:

1A West

North Moore (11-12) at NCSSM (10-7)

Roxboro Community (6-10) at S. Stanly (21-3)

North Rowan (12-9) at CATA (7-15)

North Stokes (15-3) at East Wilkes (11-10)

North Wilkes (6-14) at East Surry (21-4)

Chatham Central (19-6) at Union Academy (4-13)

Mt. Airy (3-15) at West Wilkes (25-2)

East Montgomery (16-9) at River Mill Academy (7-11)

If South Stanly wins Tuesday, they will either host North Moore or travel to NCSSM on Friday.

The other 1A West Sectional

Lincoln Charter (11-10) at Swain County (21-5)

Highland Tech (6-15) at Mitchell (5-13)

Hayesville (11-8) at Hendersonville (4-15)

West Montgomery (8-13) at Bessemer City (14-10)

Gray Stone (9-12) at Cherryville (14-10)

Robbinsville (9-8) at Hiwassee Dam (14-8)

Alleghany (6-15) at Avery (4-11)

Rosman (7-12) at Murphy (21-2)

Gray Stone would play at either Robbinsville or Hiwassee Dam with a win Tuesday.

2A West Region

TW Andrews (4-12) at West STokes (14-10)

Salisbury (2-16) at Piedmont (22-4)

Jordan-Matthews (11-12) at Central Davidson (22-3)

North Surry (12-10) at North Lincoln (17-9)

West Lincoln (15-7) at West Stanly (24-2)

West Davidson (10-9) at Surry Central (13-10)

Forest Hills (17-7) at East Lincoln (15-8)

Cuthbertson (19-6) at East Davidson (8-10)

With a win on Tuesday, West Stanly would host the West Davidson-Surry Central winner on Friday.

The other 2A West sectional

Wilkes Central (9-9) at Bandys (19-5)

Bunker Hill (10-12) at Owen (23-2)

Maiden (16-8) at Starmount (18-7)

East Rutherford (11-9) at North Henderson (16-9)

Jimmy Draughn (17-8) at Chase (15-3)

Smoky Mtn. (8-16) at East Burke (17-8)

Polk County (18-5) at Pisgah (17-4)

Forbush (18-8) at Madison (15-3)

South wins at Roxboro Community School

South advanced to the second round of the state playoffs with a 20-0 win over Roxboro Community. The Bulls travel to Elkin Tuesday night. For more details, see Tuesday's Stanly News and Press.

NCHSAA Baseball Playoff pairings have been released

Here are the pairings for the 1A West and 2A West regions for the NCHSAA state baseball playoffs to open on Friday.

1A West

In the top section:

East Montgomery (11-12) at NC Science and Math (6-11)

Chatham Central (6-15) at North Rowan (19-6)

North Moore (17-6) at CATA (7-13)

East Surry (17-9) at West Wilkes (12-13)

East Wilkes (5-13) at Bishop McGuinness (15-7)

Albemarle (16-9) at Union Academy (5-15)

North Stokes (6-15) at Elkin (10-8)

South Stanly (18-8) at Roxboro Community (7-14)

Should South Stanly wins, they would travel to the winner of the North Stokes / Elkin game.

Should Albemarle wins, they would either host East Wilkes or travel to Bishop McGuinness.

In the bottom section:

Swain County (6-15) at Murphy (19-3)

Lake Norman Charter (16-4) at Thomas Jefferson (6-16)

Mitchell (7-13) at Robbinsville (8-8)

West Montgomery (7-13) at Bessermer City (10-13)

North Wilkes (5-13) at Cherryville (17-8)

Rosman (7-12) at Hiwassee Dam (17-5)

Avery Co. (4-16) at Hendersonville (8-11)

Cherokee (6-14) at Hayesville (15-6)

2A West

Carver (3-15) at West Stokes (18-7)

Central Davidson (14-7) at West Stanly (23-4)

Jordan-Matthews (13-8) at West Davidson (15-6)

North Surry (8-13) at East Lincoln (19-6)

North Lincoln (4-20) at Cuthbertson (23-2)

East Davidson (14-10) at Surry Central (14-10)

North Stanly (14-11) at West Lincoln (17-7)

Piedmont (16-10) at Salisbury (14-9)

Should West Stanly win, they would either host Carver or travel to West Stokes.

Should North Stanly win, they would travel to the Piedmont/Salisbury winner.

In the bottom section:

Starmount (16-8) at Bunker Hill (26-1)

South Iredell (8-13) at Owen (19-4)

Bandys (13-9) at Wilkes Central (21-2)

Chase (14-7) at Smoky Mountain (11-10)

West Caldwell (12-12) at East Rutherford (21-3)

Brevard (13-9) at Draughn (13-10)

Madison (11-11) at Pisgah (13-9)

Forbush (15-9) at Polk County (17-4)

Stanly County Schools athletic programs each to receive $1,000 dollars returned from NCHSAA

Interesting stuff coming from the NCHSAA today...

CHAPEL HILL-- The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors completed its spring Board meeting on Wednesday at the NCHSAA offices.

Among the major items was the decision to return additional monies to the NCHSAA member schools, to preserve the Student Services program and a change in the preseason conditioning requirements for football.

The Board voted to make a one-time payment of one thousand dollars to each member school for the 2010-11 academic year to assist schools in these challenging economic times. The Board also voted that for the next four years, 25% of the dollar surcharge on tickets designed to go to the NCHSAA Endowment will be directed to the member schools. Other changes the Board had made at earlier Board meetings in terms of percentages of money kept for playoffs and travel reiumbursement has meant that an additional $125,000 has been sent to the member schools.

The Board also approved an projected adjusted budget for the NCHSAA Student Services program that the Association will absorb if the current funding that has come from the General Assembly is not continued for next year.

Specific changes were made in preseason football conditioning guidelines, based on National Athletic Trainers Association guidelines, that limit time on the field and three "cool hours" must separate multiple practices or a practice and a walk-through in a single day. The entire policy will be distributed to the NCHSAA membership and posted on line.

"The Board had a very productive meeting over the past two days, highlighted by the fact that the NCHSAA is doing all that is possible to help the membership in these tough economic times," said Davis Whitfield, commissioner. "In addition, to approve the funding of our student-services program because of the wonderful programming it provides related to integrity, teamwork, sportsmanship, healthy lifestyle choices and producing positive citizens is a big step."

Other items included:

--all fall sports will now be able to begin practice on July 30 for 2011

--background checks were approved to be made by the NCHSAA on all those who register to officiate in the program

--live streaming of regular season games, including football and basketball, was approved

--some changes in wrestling weigh in and weight management procedures; recommend adjustment in weekly weigh in procedure; once matches begin, match weigh ins should be used and must be entered into OPC within 24 hours of match; mandated Friday weigh ins up to beginning of regular season competition; if no matches in a week, must have a weigh in during the week; if wrestler absent and does not weigh in at match, must have one during week

--baseball and softball now have the identical off season skill development rules as other sports, with the removal of "grandfather" clause for skill development for baseball and softball, so now all sports would have the same restrictions relative to out of season rules and regulations

--the NCHSAA will no longer sanction all-star games, as many other states have already gotten out of that business, but will continue to endorse the North Carolina Coaches Association events; information will be posted on web site relative for players, parents and coaches to consider when playing in an event of this nature; senior still must have completed eligibility in that sport, and play in no more than two games (football or basketball) during the school year

-- approved request to allow wrestling for 3A, 2A and 4A all to wrestle on Thursday of state individual wrestling championships

--approved addition to Handbook about sports in which the NCHSAA does not have a championship: "Even though such sports are not sanctioned by the NCHSAA, member schools should work, wherever possible, to adhere to the ideals and guidelines established by the NCHSAA for their member schools in sports which they do sanction. The need to promote sportsmanship, to protect instructional time, or the physiological and emotional needs of maturing teens should not disappear simply because it is not a sport sanctioned by the NCHSAA."