Six-run inning propels HiToms
THOMASVILLE – The HiToms wasted a 6-2 lead and a good pitching performance by starter Michael Park did not result in his first victory. Thomasville won anyway.

Hit and run: Wake's Johnson good, but Scottie Pippen-good?
The Chicago Bulls liked Wake Forest forward James Johnson so much they made him the No. 16 overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft.

From second-to-last to second-to-none at Caraway
ASHEBORO – Alex Yontz literally drove through the field to win the rain-interrupted Rusty Harpe 200 that ended late Wednesday night at Caraway Speedway.

Destination Colombia
The only message North Carolina’s soccer coaches gave Matt Rose for the summer was “show up in shape” for the fall. A trip to Colombia certainly won’t leave Rose lacking for challenges on the soccer field. What’s more, the Wesleyan Christian Academy standout also plans to use his trip abroad to get in shape spiritually and mentally for what awaits him in Chapel Hill.

Wilson, Hayes eye clash of Andrews' greats in NFL showdown
On Nov. 29, something important will happen for graduates and supporters of T. Wingate Andrews High. Hundreds of miles away from High Point at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., two former Red Raiders will play against each other in an NFL game. The contest will match safety Adrian Wilson of the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals against defensive end William Hayes of the Tennessee Titans, who had the NFL’s best regular-season record in 2008.

Two HiToms spark Team USA
Two former HiToms, pitcher Asher Wojciechowski and catcher Blake Forsythe, are on Team USA this summer and recently helped the Americans complete a five-game sweep of Team Canada. In a 9-3 victory for the U.S., Wojciechowski pitched almost six innings while fanning eight and allowing three hits and two runs. Forsyth went 1-for-2 while scoring a run.

Andrews' Stevenson picks Duke
Quan Stevenson wowed the crowd at a Duke football camp with a blazing 4.28-second time in the 40-yard dash. The T. Wingate Andrews defensive back was just as quick to show his appreciation to the Blue Devils, who made a scholarship offer that day in early June.

Hayes sets lofty goals with Titans
William Hayes could use a good excuse for his inconsistent play last season. He refuses to make excuses. Hayes, a former T. Wingate Andrews star, made 13 tackles with one sack in 2008 as a rookie defensive end with the Tennessee Titans. He played in more than half of the Titans’ 17 games as a reserve behind veteran Jevon Kearse, including Tennessee’s AFC Divisional playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Setzer returns to his Caraway roots
NASCAR Truck regular Dennis Setzer is set for a return to his Caraway Speedway roots. Setzer, a three-time Caraway champ from 1988-90 who is in his 11th season as a Truck Series regular, is the biggest name among the entries on the speedway’s Website for tonight’s Rusty Harpe Memorial race. The 200-lap race is named for a late model driver who was killed in a 2007 farming accident.

N.C. State QB leaves diamond for football in Raleigh
At 6 o’clock Monday morning, Russell Wilson resumed his workouts as a member of N.C. State’s football team. His Coastal Plain League baseball experiment was over, but not forgotten.

HiToms falter in first-half finale
THOMASVILLE – The Thomasville HiToms had Monday night’s contest with the Asheboro Copperheads well in hand early on and then let it slip away.

Hit and run: Dollar signs make Peppers forget troubles
In January, Julius Peppers was done with the Carolina Panthers. He wanted no part of the team that helped him make the Pro Bowl four times in seven seasons.

Area ADs brace for change
For the past 10 years, Brindon Christman has been all about Southwest Guilford. Growing up in Eden, though, the Cowboys’ athletic director remembers dreaming big throughout his youth.

Post 87 caps regular season in style
Post 87’s Senior Legion team rallied for four runs in the eighth inning to defeat Eastern Randolph Post 81 4-1 in the regular season finale on Sunday at Finch Field. Post 87 improved to 16-9 overall and 11-7 in Area III North action.

Another interleague season comes and goes
In case you missed it, another season of interleague play ended on Sunday. The final weekend of the annual AL vs. NL midseason showdowns featured the usual suspects – Mets-Yankees, Cubs-White Sox, Indians-Reds, Rays-Marlins, Giants-Athletics and Orioles-Nationals. Sure, it’s great to see matchups pitting teams from the same city or state.

Wilson out at Wesleyan
Wesleyan Christian Academy is in the early stages of finding a new boys basketball head coach. Trojans athletic director Ricardo Viera confirmed that Wesleyan elected not to rehire Tim Wilson and that applications for the position are being accepted until 12:30 p.m. Monday.

Owen, Walsh get early birdies
Tanner Owen and Thomas Walsh are accomplished junior golfers with good memories. The High Point residents began the game at an age when many kids start walking well. And they remember the feeling. “I started playing golf when I was 2 and pretty much ever since then I’ve wanted to play,” said Owen.

HiToms slam Grizzlies in opener
After three walks, the HiToms walked off. Josh Liles’ grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Thomasville a 6-5 victory over Gastonia on Saturday night in the first game of a Coastal Plain League doubleheader at Finch Field.

Smith rallies for crown
Ted Smith and his brothers own four John Deere dealerships in southeastern Indiana. “They work and I play golf,” Smith explained. “That’s not the way it’s supposed to be, is it?” It certainly works for the 63-year-old Smith, who captured the biggest victory of his golf career on Friday by rallying to win the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship.

HiToms scrap for victory
The Thomasville HiToms found creative ways to score Friday night at Finch Field to take a 5-2 win over the Martinsville Mustangs. In the midst of their offensive struggles so far this season, the development came as a welcome sight to manager Ray Greene. A fielding error, a groundout, a wild pitch and some aggressive base-running accounted for all five of the HiToms’ runs. On the hill, Pat Dean threw strikes and did everything it took to notch a victory in the win column.

Gwaltney captures Super Seniors title
Richard Gwaltney admitted the obvious. The 67-year-old Taylorsville resident won the Super Seniors division on Friday at the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship, but he struggled with two bogeys and a double-bogey over his last three holes.

Carter shows way
Ron Carter expects a golfer to challenge his three-stroke advantage entering today’s final round of the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship. “Someone will come out of the woodwork,” he said.

Kinney makes strong first impression
Stan Kinney, a familiar name on the local golf scene for decades, is playing in an unfamiliar tournament. The 66-year-old High Point native, a three-time former city champion, has played well during his first appearance at the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship. Participating in the Super Seniors division, Kinney stands at even-par 144 following Thursday’s 74, tied for second place and five shots behind leader Richard Gwaltney.

Free camp at T.W. Andrews teaches valuable lessons
This is not your usual summer football camp. Sure, approximately 100 kids lifted weights and learned proper football techniques every evening this week at T. Wingate Andrews High. But they also learned much more, and they didn’t pay a dime.

'Hoosier Hotshots' deliver
The Hoosier Hotshots made an impact on Wednesday. Ted Smith and Ron Carter, a couple of good friends and Indiana residents, took control during the first round of the 26th annual National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship at High Point Country Club’s Willow Creek course.

Gardner finds time for first-round 74
Jay Gardner considered withdrawing from the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Championship because of a crisis at Jamestown Park, where he works as course superintendent. “I started not to play,” he said on Wednesday after firing 74 during the first round at High Point Country Club’s Willow Creek course. “But I had everything lined up, and it was a matter of waiting on Duke Power and the electrical contractor.”

Labonte sees room for Loudon improvement
The last time on a flat, mile track wasn’t the best in the world for Bobby Labonte. That was in April at Phoenix, a night that Labonte fought a cantankerously handling car as he tried to stay out of the wall and out of the way.

UNC coach looks forward to 100th year of Tar Heels hoops
CHAPEL HILL – It took a while for Larry Drew’s name to come up in Roy Williams’ summer bull session with the local media. Once it did, it didn’t take long for Williams to assess Drew’s significance to next season’s team.

Petty dodges talk of Toyota switch
Richard Petty avoided specific comment Tuesday on speculation that Richard Petty Motorsports could change car makes for at least one of its teams.

Willow Creek playing host to top amateur
At times, Paul Simson is a 58-year-old insurance agent in Raleigh. Other times, he’s the best senior amateur golfer in the world.

Weary Weaver heads home after Open
Drew Weaver drained his par putt on Monday’s finishing ninth hole and just like that, his U.S. Open odyssey came to a close.

Huneycutt leaves Bulldogs' bench
After 21 years, 15 conference championships and five state titles, Woody Huneycutt is calling it a career as the boys basketball head coach at Thomasville High School.

ACC stars set for better NBA Draft
The Atlantic Coast Conference produced one first-round NBA Draft pick in 2008, with J.J. Hickson having a cup of coffee at N.C. State before turning pro. The pot will simmer much longer on Thursday night.

Owls hammer HiToms, 16-3
Josh Thrailkill enjoyed a great start to Sunday’s game at Finch Field, striking out two in a 1-2-3 first. The Thomasville HiToms’ offense roared out of the gate against the Forest City Owls, sparked by Richard Jones’ two-run homer in the opening frame.

Post 87 cruises
The Post 87 Senior Legion HiToms pounded 10 hits en route to a 12-2 victory over Kernersville Post 36 in a game stopped after eight innings by the 10-run rule on Sunday evening at East Forsyth High School. David Coffey worked seven strong innings to secure the victory for the HiToms, who improved to 14-7 overall and 9-5 in the Area 3 North Division. The Ragsdale pitcher struck out 10 in seven innings, allowing just two runs on three hits.

Ramirez should serve 'full' suspension
For Manny Ramirez, the road back to the big leagues starts in Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday. Ramirez, suspended for 50 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy, isn’t eligible to return to the majors until July 3.

Weaver makes grade at Bethpage Black
High Point’s Drew Weaver made sure his stay in the U.S. Open will last through the weekend. The roars from the rain-soaked, emotionally-charged New York galleries provided inspiration and memories that figure to last much longer.

Greens costing green
The carts sat in perfect rows outside the clubhouse, awaiting the onslaught of golfers sure to come on such a sunny Saturday. The parking lot, however, was eerily empty. Inside the clubhouse, a couple of regulars sat chatting at the bar in the nearly empty grill room.

Wood Brothers lend a hand to Said
Although the Wood Brothers moved their racing operation from rural Virginia to near Charlotte several years ago, they’ve always retained their down-home neighborly ways. Not intending to participate in today’s race at Infineon Raceway didn’t stop them from sticking with their friendly attitude and helping out someone in need.

Post 87 rallies for 13-8 victory
Post 87 rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth to rally for a 13-8 victory over Thomasville/Davidson County Post 28 in American Legion play at Ledford Senior High on Friday night. Justin Lassiter delivered a key hit in the rally by lacing a two-run double. Matt Dillon added another with a two-run single.

Weaver answers wake-up call in style
Rising early to complete his first round in the U.S. Open, Drew Weaver found it hard to get going mentally Friday morning. That shouldn’t be hard to understand, considering Weaver headed to Bethpage Black at 5:35 a.m. for a 7 a.m. resumption of his first round that was interrupted by rain on Thursday.

HiToms walk off with dramatic win
Thomasville committed a season-high five errors and spotted Martinsville a 3-0 lead to begin Friday night’s game at Finch Field. A perfect storm was not enough for Martinsville to come away with a victory, however, as Thomasville walked off with a 4-3 win in the bottom of the ninth.

Owls ground HiToms, 6-2
The Thomasville HiToms are still awaiting the offensive surge that would seem imminent from a team of their caliber. Forest City starter Bryan Breedlove turned in a dominant outing Thursday night. Breedlove made it through 71/3 innings, silencing Thomasville’s bats to the tune of five hits and six punch-outs en route to a 6-2 win.

Weaver makes eventful U.S. Open splash
Drew Weaver sloshed through 10 holes at rainy Bethpage Black on Thursday morning. His day’s work proved longer than most of the U.S. Open field.

Mauer power sparks Twins
Don’t look now, but a catcher is flirting with some mythical big-league batting statistics. Minnesota’s Joe Mauer entered Thursday’s play with an eye-popping .425 average. Mauer has collected 13 homers and 41 RBIs in 43 games for the Twins despite missing the first month of the season to injury.

Racing fuels Rhodes' competitive juices
Harrison Rhodes knows the thrill of swimming competitively. He’s played basketball and baseball in middle school. For the 15-year-old who will be sophomore at Ledford High School this fall, none of that can compare with the rush of controlling the power of a race car.

Double-file restarts pass first two tests
In the two tests so far, the change to double-file restarts among lead-lap car hasn’t produced any controversy. Cautions were few at Pocono and Michigan and none came near the end of either race. And, there’s been little side-by-side racing among the cars that started on the front, although there has been a great deal of shuffling of positions at times among drivers toward the front.

Rise and shine: Weaver hopes early golfer gets the birdies
Sometimes, you have to get up pretty early in the morning to tackle one of golf’s major tests. High Point’s Drew Weaver will experience just such a sensation today.

Pittman just wants to play
Josh Pittman spent his Trinity basketball career putting up gaudy numbers, such as 2,100 points scored and 100 wins.

HIT AND RUN
When the college basketball season ended in the spring, Wake Forest possesses the pieces to be a top-10 team next season.

HIToms down Asheboro
THOMASVILLE – The HiToms beat the Copperheads 3-1 on Tuesday night behind the pitching of Tyler Melling and Spencer Matthews. Melling collected the win, pitching seven innings, striking out eight and allowing one run.

Weaver adjusts schedule for U.S. Open
Drew Weaver planned to take a break from tournament golf this week before embarking on five consecutive amateur events. The U.S. Open got in the way.

Hit and run: Trinity coach faced tough decision
In a gym more known for its ear-splitting decibel levels, Tim Kelly took advantage of a quiet, reflective moment when it came time to decide his future.

Junior HiToms best Danville; slam lifts Junior team
THOMASVILLE – Conner Scarborough pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and went on to get a save in Post 87’s 6-4 win over Danville on Monday at Finch Field.

Ijames' towering shot lifts HiToms
THOMASVILLE – For 72/3 innings, the slumping Thomasville HiToms labored in vain to get anything going offensively against Asheboro starter Rudy Brown. As it turns out, all it took was Brown’s removal to awake the slumbering hitters.

Possible double for Pinehurst
North Carolina in general and the Pinehurst in particular like to be regarded as one of the top golf destinations in the world.

Post 87 juniors trip Kernersville
KERNERSVILLE – Andrew Burnett drilled a two-run home run as the Post 87 junior legion team scored six times in the first inning on the way to cruising 10-3 over Kernersville Post 36 on Sunday at East Forsyth High School.

Seven unlucky for HiToms
THOMASVILLE – A close game turned ugly for the HiToms on Saturday night.

New HPU coach plays waiting game
When Scott Cherry took over the High Point University basketball program in late March, he could drill the returning players for about a month.

Earnhardt sees improvement since crew chief switch
Today’s race in the rolling hills west of Detroit could run the streak to a year.

16-year olds wins, earns Wyndham invitation
Immediately after winning the AJGA FootJoy Invitational on Friday afternoon, Justin Thomas received an emotional phone call from his father.

Homers power HiToms past Gastonia
GASTONIA – Three home runs powered the Thomasville HiToms to a 7-5 win at Gastonia in Friday’s Coastal Plain League W

Dillon, Ingram lead Post 87 to big win
THOMASVILLE – Clinton Ingram pitched five strong innings and Matt Dillon homered in his third straight game to help the Post 87 Junior HiToms beat Winston-Salem Post 55 in a 12-2 decision.

HPU's Barbour motivated by losses
Don’t misunderstand. Guard Nick Barbour is excited about the new coaching staff and the upcoming basketball season at High Point University.

Ragsdale, Wesleyan hurlers get draft calls
Wes Wrenn leaves Tuesday to fulfill his pro baseball dreams. Nick McBride doesn’t know when, or where, he’ll be going.

HiToms mull pro plans during rainout
THOMASVILLE – In the midst of a torrential downpour that postponed the HiToms’ game with the Gastonia Grizzlies on Thursday night, Chris McGuiness and Richard Jones began looking forward to what few men will ever be able to accomplish. McGuiness and Jones – as well as Thomasville teammate C.J. Beatty – were picked this week in MLB’s First-Year Player Draft.

Decisions, decisions
Wil Myers has a decision to make. Either choice looks pretty good.

Edwards gets on right track in both series
Last week, it was flying between Pocono in Pennsylvania and Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee. This week, the commute isn’t quite as severe, shuttling between Michigan Speedway west of Detroit to Kentucky Speedway out in the country along the interstate that runs from Louisville to Cincinnati.

Beatty, other HiToms feel draft
GREENSBORO – Former Glenn High School star C.J. Beatty was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 26th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Weaver punches Open ticket with clutch putt
Drew Weaver thought his chance to qualify for the U.S. Open ended when a 20-foot putt on the final hole of regulation missed the mark.

Morgan loved football
You may not have heard that linebacker Dan Morgan recently attempted another NFL comeback.

Waltrip gives Carpentier shot
ACING NOTEBOOK: Owner/driver Michael Waltrip, not noted for his road racing prowess, will put Patrick Carpentier in his No. 55 Toyota at Infineon Raceway in two weeks.

HPU legend Reid endures travels, travails
Arizona Reid started his professional basketball career in Italy. He finished the season in Switzerland. He’s back in the United States.

Draft Day arrives for Wesleyan's Myers
THOMASVILLE – The name of Wesleyan Christian Academy star Wil Myers will get called tonight by a major league baseball team in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

Post 87 rallies in 9th; HiToms silenced
DANVILLE, Va. – The Post 87 Junior HiToms scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning Monday night to capture a non-division American Legion Baseball game at Danville Post 325.

Federer cements status as all-time great
Roger Federer slammed his way into tennis history on Sunday. Federer completed the career Grand Slam and tied Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles with a 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 dismantling of Robin Soderling to capture his first French Open crown. The classy, hard-hitting Swiss star improved his record to 14-5 in grand slam finals and moved one step closer to cementing his status as the greatest male tennis player of the modern era.

McKinnon, Rush capture Oak Hollow Open
John McKinnon and Harold Rush shot 61-59–120 to win the Oak Hollow Open by one stroke on Sunday. Jason Morton and Shorty Kimmons placed second in championship flight at 60-61–121, followed by two teams at 123 – Bryan Colquitt-Rick Colquitt (64-59) and Anthony Baker-Scotty Odell (62-61). Scott Shaw-Charlie Helper placed fifth at 61-63–124.

Team Watson, Team Baker prevail at Colonial
Team Watson captured low gross honors, while Team Baker took low net in this weekend’s Couples Member-Guest at Colonial Country Club. Format was best ball on Saturday and captain’s choice on Sunday.

Rivalry looms for East Davidson duo
After spending so many happy years together as teammates, could fierce battles finally be in the works for Elizabeth Merritt and Alyssa Cutshaw? They’ll spend their college basketball days as rivals in the South Atlantic Conference. Worse yet, both say they’d like to get into coaching one day.

Junior winner set for spot in Wyndham
This has never happened before. At first glance, it seems a bit strange. Why would a PGA Tour event announce that it will provide a sponsor’s exemption to the winner of a junior tournament?

Drivers take new restart policy in stride
Not all drivers are giving a ringing endorsement of the changes in NASCAR’s green-flag restart procedures. Change will do that.

HiToms washed out
The HiToms’ home game against Fayetteville on Friday night was canceled due to wet conditions and will not be rescheduled. Thomasville (3-4) has not played since Wednesday’s 8-7 win over Martinsville at Finch Field. It marked the HiToms’ second straight victory and first home win of the Coastal Plain League season.

K Academy proves extraordinary basketball camp
This is not your average basketball camp. The K Academy, which runs through Sunday at Duke, is not housing its campers in dorms. It is not giving snack breaks or calling parents if kids act up. The K Academy consists of adults age 35 and above. They are paying $10,000 for the chance to experience five days of basketball with Duke legends such as Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Mike Gminski, Christian Laettner, Gene Banks and Jason Williams. Even non-legends like Marty Clark, Alaa Abdelnaby, Kenny Blakeney and Robert Brickey are helping out.

Leonard pitches Spartans to two wins
Two-time championship Most Valuable Player Chelsea Leonard of Central Davidson turned in another dominant performance on Friday night in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2A softball championships at Walnut Creek Softball Complex. Leonard, who has missed most of the season due to an injury and entered the state championships with just a 4-0 pitching mark, tossed a pair of complete-game shutouts Friday, yielding only two hits and fanning a whopping 37.

NASCAR waves green on double-file restarts
NASCAR scrapped a facet of its decades-old race procedures Thursday in a move that it hopes will put a spark into Cup racing. Beginning with Sunday’s 500-mile race at Pocono Raceway, cars on the lead lap will be at the front of the field for double-file restarts ahead of all lapped cars.

Willow Creek set to host senior major golf test
One of golf’s majors comes to High Point in three weeks. A senior amateur major.

Terrell looks better and better for Wake
J.T. Terrell, a shooting guard from Burlington Cummings High, was considered a good prospect when he made a verbal commitment to Wake Forest a year ago. He’s probably a great prospect now.

McGuinness homer powers Hi-Toms
THOMASVILLE – A week into the season, the HiToms established a couple of firsts Wednesday night during an 8-7 victory over the Martinsville Mustangs.

East's Allmon leaves for SWR
THOMASVILLE – Terry Allmon couldn’t fathom leaving East Davidson’s girls basketball team last summer.

Abrams-Ward shifts focus to diamond
The shorts emblazoned with an orange “T” harkened back to the glory days of E.J. Abrams-Ward.

Post 87 rally falls short
THOMASVILLE – Kevin Sanders clubbed a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth, but was left stranded at second as the Post 87 Junior HiToms fell 5-4 to West Forsyth Post 522 at Finch Field.

Williams eyes big encore for the Panthers
Outgoing and personable, DeAngelo Williams seemed like the type to experience an adventurous offseason.

Big inning propels HiToms
ASHEBORO – A six-run fifth-inning outburst powered the Thomasville HiToms to an 8-3 victory at Asheboro in Tuesday’s Coastal Plain League game.

Wyndham officials hope to continue tourney's momentum
As tournament director of the Wyndham Championship, Mark Brazil always looks at the positive side.

Power surge carries Post 87 to win
THOMASVILLE – Cameron Hendrix hit a three-run home run in the first inning and Sam Berrier added a three-run shot in the third to lead the Post 87 Junior HiToms to a 16-2 win over Thomasville-Davidson Post 284.

HiToms silenced by Owls
FOREST CITY – Thomasville dropped to 1-4 on the Coastal Plain League season with Monday night’s 10-2 decision at Forest City.

Jennings soars over life's hurdles
Jestin Jennings came home this weekend. Not because of bad grades. Not because he found trouble at Western Carolina University. Not because he finally quit like so many people expected him to do – and like he threatened to do every year.

Junior Legion HiToms prevail in 11 innings
att Rutledge delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the 11th and worked four innings in relief to earn the victory as the Junior Legion HiToms bagged an 8-6 victory over Winston-Salem on Sunday night at R.J. Reynolds High School.

HiToms suffer exhibition loss to Kernersville
The HiToms suffered an 8-3 exhibition loss to the Kernersville Bulldogs of the Carolina Virginia Collegiate League in an exhibition matchup on Sunday at Finch Field. C.J. Beatty drilled a two-run home run to right field in the third inning for the HiToms. Lester Rivenbank and Daniel Coffey homered for the Bulldogs.

High Point Christian star enjoys 'Golf and the City'
It’s not exactly Archdale. Add millions more people and many more distractions and you have where Troy Spencer picked as his college home. The former High Point Christian Academy star recently finished his freshman season on the golf team at Seton Hall University, a private school of 9,700 students located in South Orange, N.J.

McGrew braces for Earnhardt media crush
Like a good soldier, Lance McGrew followed orders this week. When team owner Rick Hendrick decided someone other than Tony Eury Jr. needed to serve as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief, McGrew accepted the assignment even though he is not comfortable being in the middle of the media and fan scrutiny always trained on the sport’s most popular driver.

Leonard tosses no-hitter
WALLBURG – Ledford’s softball team knew what to do. The Panthers never discovered how to do it against Central Davidson ace Chelsea Leonard on Friday night.

HiToms silenced by Grizzlies
THOMASVILLE – Friday night’s affair at Finch Field was a far cry from the HiToms’ offensive outpouring in Thursday’s 12-7 win at Martinsville. Thomasville only mustered a couple of runs in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Gastonia Grizzlies.

Deacons await Teague's decision
Wake Forest’s basketball season doesn’t start for more than five months. The next two weeks could determine whether the Demon Deacons compete for the ACC title.

Creed savors college offer
Considering wrestlers spend a good portion of each year watching their weight, the fact Ashland University boasts the nation’s best cafeteria seems like an odd selling point for the Eagles’ program. But Ragsdale star Jacob Creed was impressed with far more than the food on his visit to the school in northeastern Ohio.

Eury Jr. out as Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief
Rick Hendrick kept holding out hope that the spark would return for Dale Earnhardt Jr. with his cousin Tony Eury Jr. as his crew chief. “I was convinced a few weeks ago that we would be fine,” Hendrick said. “We had meetings and I was in the middle of it. We had a game plan and I was convinced we would get it worked out.”

No Bull: Sequel to classic may crash big screen
“Have you heard of Walt Whitman?” “No. Who’s he play for?” – From “Bull Durham,” 1988 For 21 years, I’ve been waiting to see who Nuke LaLoosh plays for.

Sharks bite HiToms in season opener
The Thomasville HiToms celebrated the past on Wednesday night. The present wasn't quite as encouraging. Wilmington's Adam Schrader held the HiToms hitless over the first four innings and the Sharks held on for a 4-2 victory in the Coastal Plain League opener for both teams at Finch Field.

Panthers trip Rebels
So much for late-round softball playoff games being tense affairs. The Ledford Panthers dominated in all phases of the game Wednesday night at West Lincoln for a 4-1 victory not nearly as close as the final score indicated. Ledford clubbed eight hits, drew six walks, stole five bases: everything but cross the plate for a blowout win.

Biffle seeks more Dover success
With the Car of Tomorrow coming under criticism again for producing boring races, NASCAR would welcome Sunday’s Autism Speak 400 at Dover International Speedway producing the same sort of battle that Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards waged at the end of last September’s race at the mile concrete track. With the three Roush Fenway drivers staying close together, Kenseth took the lead from Edwards with 23 laps to go, then Biffle took command from Kenseth with nine laps left, after Biffle nearly crashed Kenseth in a previous effort to slip past going into the third turn.

Reutimann enjoyed winding road to Victory Lane
As an aspiring racer in the Tampa Bay area, NASCAR’s most recent winner didn’t think about making it to the big time.

Andrews' Harris gets her team
The oldest college in Tennessee has given Adell Harris a new opportunity. She plans to make the most of it.

Defending champ HiToms set for opener
THOMASVILLE – Rain washed out a planned HiToms scrimmage Tuesday afternoon, meaning tonight’s Coastal Plain League opener against Wilmington will be the first time Thomasville’s players take the field together.

Reutimann reigns
David Reutimann wound up having the last word. Chastised by Tony Stewart during one of three rain delays, Reutimann used a crucial call not to pit to emerge the winner when NASCAR called the water-logged Coca-Cola 600 after 340.5 miles, the shortest 600 in history and just 27 laps past the 200-lap halfway mark necessary for an official race.

Busch, Vickers ponder what might have been at LMS
Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers still wonder what they must do to win a Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch led 173 laps and was in front when the caution was waved for rain on lap 220 of the Coca-Cola 600. The scheduled 400-lap event, postponed from Sunday, was never restarted – leaving Busch with a sixth-place finish after he pitted and winner David Reutimann and others didn’t.

Riggs, Baldwin part ways
Scott Riggs said he couldn’t tolerate it anymore. Riggs grew tired of being a start-and-park driver in some races and not being competitive when team owner Tommy Baldwin could afford to go the whole distance.

Birdie-maker Baker wins HPGA Memorial
By the time Anthony Baker lined up his short birdie putt at the 18th hole late Sunday afternoon, any doubt had ended. Baker knew he would drop the 6-footer to win the High Point Golf Association Memorial Tournament at Blair Park. So did his three playing partners, including runner-up Jeff Boyan, and every person in the gallery of about 15 golf carts surrounding the green.

Baker happy to be an amateur again
Like many accomplished amateur golfers, Anthony Baker tried making it in the pros. Like many accomplished amateur golfers, Baker went back to being an accomplished amateur. Baker, who regained his amateur status on Aug. 1, 2008, won an event in his hometown less than a year later by capturing the HPGA Memorial on Sunday at Blair Park.

Rain delays 600 to today
The 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 earned a dubious distinction Sunday night. It became the first in the event’s storied history to be postponed by rain.

Kennedy wins Bison duel
Desmeion Kennedy waited patiently for his turn in the triple jump. When it finally came Saturday at North Carolina A&T’s Irwin Belk Track, Kennedy grabbed the leading spot and never relinquished it to win the event at the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A Track and Field championships.

Newman eager for 600 success
When today’s Coca-Cola 600 gets the green flag, Ryan Newman will be in familiar territory. For the eighth time, Newman starts from the pole at the 1.5-mile track. For the eighth time, he will try to pick up his first victory at the facility.

Bliss wins rain-shortened 300 at LMS
Car owner James Finch started off the month with an unexpected victory. He got another one Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Young gun: Womble shoots 64 to lead HPGA Memorial
Because of the 16-year-old age requirement, Davis Womble cannot compete in the Bud Kivett Championship. The High Point Golf Association Memorial Tournament has no such rule, and the 15-year-old proved on Saturday that he can compete – and beat – players of any age.

Mustangs buck Cowboys, 9-1
Southwest Guilford coach Reid Holmes did not focus on his team’s lone run on Friday night despite getting hits in six straight innings. He did not dwell on East Rowan’s six runs in the first three innings off Southwest ace Ethan Ogburn.

Villains fall short on emotional day at the diamond
When he wasn’t busy racing along the base paths Friday afternoon, Matt Rembielak took great solace in being between the white lines. It was the before and after parts of Bishop McGuinness’ third-round N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A playoff game that proved difficult.

Haas enjoys better days
About a year or so ago, Gene Haas was tired of having virtually nothing to show for his efforts. He was tired of being the Kansas City Royals of the Cup Series since his team debuted in 2002. He was tired of spending money and not getting any results, tired of having just one top-five finish, tired of seeing his teams struggle to stay in the top 35 in points and having to qualify on speed when they didn’t.

Newman speeds to 600 pole
Good times continued to flow like an uninhibited river for the Stewart-Haas team Thursday night. And there was no surprise added the latest chapter in the continuing surge by the once-moribund team under Tony Stewart’s direction since he became Gene Haas’ partner.

Post 87 Junior HiToms swing for lofty goals
The talented players arrived in droves for the Post 87 Junior HiToms this spring. A commitment to American Legion Baseball came along with the bats, gloves, balls and cleats, which is why coach Rob Shore can’t wait for tonight’s season-opener at a tournament in Easley, S.C.

On guard! Gainey gives pointers as Elon assistant
The question came more than a decade ago, when Justin Gainey was focused on becoming a solid point guard at N.C. State. One of the Wolfpack’s assistant coaches, John Groce, asked Gainey if he had considered coaching as a profession. Groce, now the head coach at Ohio University, saw how Gainey’s court awareness and leadership skills could translate into a good coach.

High Point Christian Academy celebrates college-bound athletes
Demetrius Monroe and Jermaine Martinez arrived at High Point Christian Academy as juniors. After two years of being teammates on the basketball court, they’re looking forward to spending the next four seasons as rivals in Conference Carolinas.

Cougar bowled over by scholarship to NCCU
Amber Wooleyhand gets quite a reaction when she tells people she’s attending North Carolina Central University ... on a bowling scholarship. “They look at me and say, ‘There’s really colleges to bowl at?’ Then they also think it’s neat,” said the High Point Christian Academy senior, who was part of a signing day ceremony at the school Wednesday afternoon with seven other Cougar athletes. “Every time somebody asks me about it, I have to explain it.”

Johnson seeks return to LMS dominance
Earlier this decade, Jimmie Johnson unquestionably ruled at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Now by his own admission, he is no longer the driver to beat at the 1.5-mile track. Johnson became the favorite at LMS when he went on a blitz of five points victories in six races from 2003-2005. In the three years since, he’s failed to return to victory lane while Kasey Kahne has won three times in six races.

Cowboys survive and advance
HIGH POINT – A tragic set of circumstances threatened to postpone Tuesday’s second-round playoff matchup between Southwest Guilford and Anson County. Another odd sequence did in fact interrupt the showdown.

Lexington tennis slips past Ledford
LEXINGTON – Officially, Ledford’s season ended when the No. 2 doubles team of Scott Buchanan and Josh Edwards failed to mount a rally against Charles Chisholm and Alan Heiss.

Time for NASCAR to make changes
NASCAR is conducting studies on why television ratings for Cup races continue to decline, and officials can’t be happy with the less-than-sellout crowds for many of their events.

Cline, Washington should play big roles for App. St.
In two full seasons at Appalachian State, Matt Cline has made an impact. Tony Washington is expected to make an impact entering his freshman season at the school.

Stewart's victory no surprise to some
ALL-STAR LEFTOVERS AND OTHER THINGS: After finishing second to Tony Stewart in the All-Star race Saturday night, Matt Kenseth expressed no surprise that Stewart won so quickly as a new team owner, primarily because Stewart’s operation gets engines and technical support from Hendrick Motorsports.

Stewart's win: 'Priceless'
Prize money that Tony Stewart earned for scoring his first victory in NASCAR’s All-Star race Saturday night: $1,058,656. Stewart’s feeling for finally making a winner out of the team that’s has been around since 2002 and that he turned around since becoming Gene Haas’ partner eight months ago: priceless. “I was so excited, I wanted to get back to them right away,” Stewart said of his reaction after passing underneath the checkered flag. “There are guys on this team who haven’t been to Victory Lane before. Something I was really looking forward to was getting there and congratulating Gene on his first win. There are guys who have been with the organization and haven’t been in Victory Lane, to see those guys get their first win and be a part of it with them was what I was really looking forward to. That means more than a million dollars does to me.”

Mayfield appears ready to challenge NASCAR
“You don’t tug on Superman’s cape,” goes the lyric from a 1970s pop tune. Jeremy Mayfield doesn’t give any indication that he wants to follow that advice. Mayfield, who took legal action after he was fired by Ray Evernham in 2006, sounds as if he isn’t afraid to jump into the deep of the pool and go to court against the biggest of racing’s big boys, NASCAR, to prove that he was wrongly determined to have failed a drug test and that his indefinite suspension was not deserved.

Moore glory to come for ASU?
Do glory years remain for Appalachian State football?

Funkhouser-Tran team for SunTrust doubles tennis crown
Alex Funkhouser and Zachary Tran upset top-seeded Mason Schermerhorn and Travis Lynk 6-2, 6-4 to win the men’s open division title at the SunTrust Tennis Classic on Sunday at Oak Hollow. Rain forced a juggling of the schedule as some matches were played indoors and other were shifted to alternate sites. The three-day charity doubles event concluded Sunday and raises money to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont. A few matches were not played Sunday due to inclement weather.

Cougars clinch state crown
Conner Scarborough’s glove flew toward the dugout and his legs carried him toward home plate. There, Kevin Sanders met him in a bear hug that lasted as long as it could: Until the rest of High Point Christian Academy’s baseball team crashed the party – and the pile.

Stewart takes All-Star race
For weeks, Tony Stewart gave indications that he was just a heartbeat away from becoming a winner in his new role as owner-driver. He removed the words close or near winner from the lexicon of Stewart-Haas in a million dollar way late Saturday night.

Livingston shines
Cordell Livingston had more to go. Southwest Guilford's versatile senior already had won the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles on Saturday while finishing third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump at the NCHSAA 3A state track and field championships. But his long day wasn't over. "Now I've got the prom," he said. "I'll be with a group of friends and we're going to have a good time."

Ragsdale baseball stunned
“Baseball is a stupid sport.” Longtime Ragsdale coach Donnie Maness actually loves the game, but he hated Friday night’s outcome. Soaked by a seventh-inning rain shower and stunned by fourth-seeded Parkland, the top-ranked Tigers saw their season come to a shocking conclusion with a 6-2 loss.

Cowboys bag 5-2 baseball playoff win
Ethan Ogburn did not officially throw a no-hitter for Southwest Guilford on Friday night because a relief pitcher entered in the seventh inning. He won't complain about striking out 12 batters in six innings - and combining for a no-hitter with Brock Hudgens - during the Cowboys' 5-2 win over Hickory Ridge in a state 3A baseball playoff opener.

All-Star race stirs memories
Tonight’s format for NASCAR’s All-Star Challenge gives Ryan Newman memories of the days of competition on eight-lap heats and 12-lap semi-main events back in his U.S. Auto Club days, The main event featuring Cup Series winners will return to a 10-lap final segment to decide the outcome after a 20-lap finale last year.

New members enjoy hanging out in N.C. Hall
Willie Burden glanced at his five fellow inductees and smiled. “We’re kind of hanging out with each other,” said the 1973 ACC player of the year as a running back at N.C. State.

Fast pit work could pay big dividends at LMS
With getting out first on late pit stops a major factor in winning on the Cup circuit, Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Alan Gustafson decided during the offseason that he needed to improve the performance of his over-the-wall team. “In 2008, we had some struggles with the pit crew,” said Gustafson, who directs Mark Martin’s team. “In the last quarter of that season, we aggressively went after making some changes – changes in philosophy and in personnel. Mark Mauldin, our pit crew coach, and I met quite a bit and really tried to hash out a good plan to make the pit crew practices more of a science. We wanted a system that worked well. Mauldin’s worked really hard to get these guys prepared. He took a lot of experience in other sports, and the way they compete for spots to be a starter. He applied all of that to our pit crew practice. That’s really paid off.”

Campbell returns home to Big South
Welcome home, Campbell. The state’s second-largest private university announced on Thursday that it will rejoin the Big South Conference. It has spent the last 15 years in something called the Trans America Athletic Conference, now the Atlantic Sun. Whatever the name, Campbell did not belong there, playing such far-flung conference opponents as Florida Gulf Coast, Belmont and Kennesaw State.

Tigers ace Cowboys
Members of the Ragsdale tennis team approached Wednesday’s second-round playoff match with a swagger. The Tigers backed it up on the Hester Park courts, beating rival Southwest Guilford 6-0 to advance to the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A playoffs.

Cowgirls post dramatic penalty-kick playoff win
Two halves, four overtimes and 10 penalty kicks later, Southwest Guilford advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs Wednesday night by virtue of defeating Northwest Cabarrus. Upon completion of regulation tied 1-1, the squads engaged in two 10-minute overtime periods and two more five-minute sudden death stanzas.

Kahne hopes LMS provides boost
Needing a lift, Kasey Kahne hopes Lowe’s Motor Speedway will again serve as a remedy, even if only temporary, over the next two weekends. Kahne can run poorly at other tracks but more often than not the 1.5-mile track outside of Concord has proven to be the penicillin for his team’s ills.

Bobcats bite Buldogs in soccer shocker
TRINITY – The Glenn Bobcats implemented a game plan Tuesday night that would age most coaches substantially.

HP Christian bats pound Arendell Parrott
HIGH POINT – Coach Corey Gesell said he worried about the rust.

JUCO player not apparent quick fix for HPU
So what is High Point University’s basketball team getting in guard Tehran Cox, a junior college transfer who signed earlier this week?

Hoover hears rookie’s footsteps
Tony Fiammetta came to praise Brad Hoover. Indirectly, he also came to bury the veteran fullback.

Battier surprises for Rockets
The only surprising thing about Shane Battier’s NBA career is that he has been around eight years, first with the Memphis Grizzlies and now the Houston Rockets.

HPU adds JUCO guard
HIGH POINT – First-year head coach Scott Cherry has signed his first recruit with the commitment of junior college guard Tehran Cox to the High Point University men’s basketball team for the 2009-2010 season.

Happy Mother's Day ... from California
No matter the age, kids always seem to find a way to surprise their moms on Mother’s Day. David Thomas is a little old for hand-picked flowers from the garden or a kitchen-destroying breakfast in bed episode. Instead, he threw Mom a curveball and ruined the Mother’s Day surprise she planned for him.

Daly left his mark – everywhere
Like most basketball fans, I was saddened to learn of Chuck Daly’s passing on Saturday. But as I reflected on his Hall of Fame career, I remembered that Daly cut his coaching teeth at Duke University.

Panthers fall to Gardner-Webb
High Point left 12 men stranded on base as it fell 9-5 to Gardner-Webb in a Big South matchup on Sunday afternoon at Masters Field. Gardner-Webb scored the first six runs and never looked back.

Unique Westchester team having a ball
College applications, driver’s licenses, dates, the prom – all common worries juggled by prep athletes. Unless, of course, they’re still in middle school, immersed in a whole other world.

Watson welcomes call from N.C. Hall
In December, Roger Watson received a phone call from long-time friend and fellow High Point native Charlie Bryant. Bryant couldn’t wait to tell Watson the good news.

At 67, Shepherd keeps going strong
As the green flag waved for an overtime restart Friday night, the green Chevrolet with the yellow numbers broke loose. The skid ended when it smashed into the inside retaining wall on Darlington Raceway’s frontstretch, causing Morgan Shepherd a little more grief in his effort to stay in the Nationwide Series as an underfunded independent at an age when most of his contemporaries have hung up their helmets.

Kenseth sets blazing pace
Matt Kenseth went against the stereotype in a big way Friday. One of the poorest qualifiers in the Cup Series, Kenseth set a Darlington Raceway record to start up front in tonight’s Southern 500 by winning the fourth pole in his Cup career and first since the September 2005 race at Kansas Speedway.

Martin remains young at heart
Perhaps the best way to describe Mark Martin these days is that he is 50 going on 22. The smaller number is the age at which Martin first showed up at Darlington Raceway in 1982 as a mopped-haired kid trying to make it in NASCAR’s top division in his own equipment.

HPU wants more home hoops cooking
Scott Cherry did more than inherit a basketball team when he became High Point University’s head men’s coach. He also inherited a large portion of the 2009-10 schedule.

Newman returns to top form
No longer is Ryan Newman regarded as just another driver in the middle of the pack. Ten races into driving for the team that Tony Stewart revitalized as co-owner and manager/driver for Gene Haas, Newman is relevant again after becoming a non-factor last season following his win in the Daytona 500 for Roger Penske.

Cherry makes instant impact for Panthers
Scott Cherry gets out. He refuses to hunker down inside his office at High Point University every hour of every day. Despite a hectic first six weeks as the Panthers’ new head men’s basketball coach, he gets around town enough to notice a growing enthusiasm. “I think people want to wrap their arms around a program, around a team, and we feel like we’re the most logical choice in High Point,” Cherry said.

Wimmer tests Darlington in style
Scott Wimmer gets his first shot of the season at driving first-class equipment in the NASCAR Nationwide Series today. Having raced for Curtis Key’s small team since parting with Richard Childress Racing at the end of last season, High Point’s Wimmer makes the first of six scheduled starts for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in a 200-miler at Darlington Raceway.

Ragsdale duo looks to make big splash at the next level
Ian Chamberlain and Carlie Pendleton both swam well enough in the high school and club ranks to earn college scholarships. Neither Ragsdale star is satisfied.

Jones, McInnis follow unlikely paths to their college choices
So sure of themselves on the basketball court during their Ragsdale careers, Wally Jones and Dorian McInnis simply had no clue they would eventually end up at their respective colleges. “I’d never heard of them,” Jones admitted of Lincoln Memorial University.

Wood work: Ragsdale tennis star chooses Davidson
Catherine Wood said an aggressive attitude on the tennis court helps make her such a solid player. Yet when it came time to choose a college program, Wood went 180 degrees in the other direction. The Ragsdale standout spent much of her senior year debating the merits of Davidson College and Elon University before finally making a cautious, thought-out decision.

Busch seeks more good fortune at Darlington
Kyle Busch believes he cheated “The Lady in Black” last year. Drivers don’t normally slide into the wall at Darlington Raceway and get away with it. Busch slapped the concrete on more than one occasion, creating his own version of the “Darlington stripe” while motoring to victory.

Former Tiger now pushes for Wolfpack
Stephanie McCormick was pushed into playing basketball at Ragsdale High. She was pushed into attending Catawba College. She was pushed into entering coaching.

Tennis show set for Colonial on FridayTennis show set for Colonial on Friday
THOMASVILLE – The event may be called “Tennis Across America,” but that isn’t stopping Bill Morris from getting excited about the talent heading his way.

Wall deserves chance
Immediately upon hearing that John Wall had been charged with breaking and entering, I figured he had run out of chances.

Panthers' new attitude starts at top
Five assistant coaches did not return to the Carolina Panthers after last season.

SMI still eyes date for Kentucky track
CONCORD – Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith still holds out hope that he can land a 2010 Cup date for Kentucky Speedway, even though the window for working that out with NASCAR is closing.

Marshall relishes chance to start
If the Carolina Panthers stay healthy, cornerback Richard Marshall will be the only new starter this season.

Atkins proves rock solid
Calm on the golf course, Kevin Atkins likes to rock away from the game. Especially to the band “AC/DC.”

Brotherton finds comfort zone at Oak Hollow
Curtis Brotherton has been there and played that. After tying for the low round with a 4-under-par 68 on Sunday at the Bud Kivett Memorial, the High Point University golfer felt his familiarity with Oak Hollow made a difference.

Sharpe trades tennis for golf
Most of the competitors at the Bud Kivett Memorial played golf in high school and many were on college teams. Zach Sharpe took a different route.