Cabarrus, Rowan baseball teams to face at tournament

The third-annual F&M Bank High School Baseball Classic returns to CMC-NorthEast Stadium, home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, with an expanded 10-school field from Cabarrus and Rowan counties facing off April 4-6 for the Classic Cup and bragging rights.

East Rowan, West Rowan, South Rowan, Carson and Salisbury will represent Rowan County, while Northwest Cabarrus, A.L. Brown, Mount Pleasant, Jay M. Robinson and Concord will participate from Cabarrus County.

CMC-NorthEast Stadium will host five games a day during the tournament.

Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children 4 and younger.  A three-day tournament pass is $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.

F&M Bank High School Baseball Classic schedule

Thursday, April 4th

9:00 a.m. - Mt. Pleasant vs. Carson

11:30 p.m. - Concord vs. West Rowan

2:00 p.m. - J.M. Robinson vs. East Rowan

4:30 p.m. - NW Cabarrus vs. S. Rowan

7:00 p.m. - A.L. Brown vs. Salisbury

Friday, April 5th

9:00 a.m. - Northwest Cabarrus vs. Carson

11:30 a.m. - JM Robinson vs. Salisbury

2:00 p.m. - A.L. Brown vs. West Rowan

4:30 p.m. - Mt. Pleasant vs. East Rowan

7:00 p.m. - Concord vs. South Rowan

Saturday, April 6th

9:00 a.m. - Concord vs. Salisbury

11:30 a.m. - J.M. Robinson vs. Carson

2:00 p.m. - A.L. Brown vs. South Rowan

4:30 p.m. - Mt. Pleasant vs. West Rowan

7:00 p.m. - Northwest Cabarrus vs. East Rowan

All-SPC 3A basketball, wrestling honors

All-South Piedmont Conference boys’ basketball team

Reid Aube, Concord

Darren Black, Concord

Connor Burchfield, Concord

Jerry Burk, Concord

Derrick Copeland, A.L. Brown

Tevin Stark, A.L. Brown

J.D. Murray, Northwest Cabarrus

Andrew Wheet, Northwest Cabarrus

Matt Morgan, Cox Mill

William Scott, Robinson

Jordan McKenzie, Robinson

Nick Hough, Hickory Ridge

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Derrick Copeland – A.L. Brown

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Shelwyn Klutz – A.L. Brown

All-South Piedmont Conference girls’ basketball team

Madison Fulford, Robinson

Rachel Cook, Robinson

Kelsi Mahoney, Robinson

Shatya Bost, Northwest Cabarrus

Nakiah Black, Concord

Danica Ford, Concord

Divonnie Powell, Central Cabarrus

Raven Pfifer, A.L. Brown

Autona Grant, A.L. Brown

Kiana Davis, Hickory Ridge

Aalyan Earl, Cox Mill

Victoria Harper, Mount Pleasant                                                   

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Divonnie Powell – Central Cabarrus

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Kate Jenis – Cox Mill

All-South Piedmont Conference wrestling team

David Cline, 106, Robinson

Heath Gleaton, 113, Central Cabarrus

Nick Sexton, 113, A.L. Brown

Troy Gregor, 120, Hickory Ridge

Richard White, 120, A.L. Brown

Jonah Swinson, 126, Robinson

Benny Guadarrama, 132, Northwest Cabarrus

Hamilton Jones, 138, Robinson

Kyle Ocker, 145, Cox Mill

Jake Glunt, 152, Robinson

Kenan Robertson, 160, Robinson

Shane Lawless, 160, Central Cabarrus

Blake Hooks, 170, Mount Pleasant

Xavier Medina, 170, Robinson

Ryan Johns, 182, Mount Pleasant

Demetrey Benton, 182, Hickory Ridge

Tommy McCrimmon. 195, Mount Pleasant

Harrison Marchese, 220, Robinson

Nico McClure, 285, A.L. Brown

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Kenan Robertson – Robinson

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Jerome Davis – Robinson

Four Cabarrus County wrestlers win titles

Central Cabarrus, Jay M. Robinson and Hickory Ridge wrestlers claimed state championships at Saturday's N.C. High School Athletic Association wrestling tournament at Greensboro Coliseum.

The first champion of the night was Robinson 160-pounder Kenan Robertson. The senior defeated Hillsborough Orange's David Peters-Logue in a hard-fought 2-1 decision to win his weight-class title.

“This is the best,” said Robertson. “Everything I’ve done in my life – every practice I went to – all comes up to this moment: winning tfhis, being a state champ.”

Robertson, who also won the 160-pound South Piedmont Conference and 3A Midwest regional titles, finished his senior season with a 47-3 record.

His teammate, Robinson 106-pounder David Cline, was next county wrestler to win a championship.

Cline, a freshman, pinned his opponents, Orange's Joe Scott, in 55 seconds.

"He just walked into that one," said Cline. "He went out there and he gave me my best move."

Cline, who finished his year 53-6, credited his fellow Bulldogs for his early success.

"I had great practice partners who helped me get better, get through everything," he said. "If I didn't have them, I wouldn't be here."

Robinson also placed Morris Andujar (sixth at 120), Jonah Swinson (sixth at 126), Hamilton Jones (fourth at 138) and Jake Glunt (third at 152) to finish as 3A team runner-up.

"We've worked really hard," said proud Bulldogs' coach Jerome Davis. "You couldn't ask for a better group of kids."

At 113 pounds, Central Cabarrus' Heath Gleaton became the first Viking wrestler to win a state title since 2005 by defeating East Rowan's Jason Deutsch 11-4.

"It's amazing," the junior said. "I've worked all season as long as hard as I could, trained hour after hour and this is the results. It's paid off."

Gleaton was tied 2-2 at the beginning of the third period, but his aggressiveness allowed him to get a few takedowns and a near fall to build up a 11-2 lead.

"I just kept pushing myself," said Gleaton, who was 45-2 this season. "I figured that if I took him down one time, I could take him down again and break his will."

In the last match of the night, Hickory Ridge junior Troy Gregor won the 120-pound 3A title.

"It's a dream," said Gregor, who defeated Asheboro's Sawyer Davidson 8-2 to finish his year 43-2.

"I'm really proud of myself. I just want to keep working hard, keep achieving goals. ... It starts from here. This is just the beginning."

Gregor is the Ragin' Bulls' first-ever state wrestling champion.

"It means the world," said Hickory Ridge coach Patrick Helm. "He's a great kid. ... He leads our team by example. He's not a real big 'rah-rah' type of guy, but when he steps on the mat, he's all business.

Four individual state champions is one of the best performances Cabarrus County wrestlers have ever had in one year.

Gleaton credits that to the competition area wrestlers face.

"We've got a real tough conference," he said.

Concord ousted in sectional final

Concord's boys' basketball team lost to Harding 71-65 in the third round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs to end its season on Friday night.

The Spiders, the SPC regular-season champions, finished their year 24-3.

Cabarrus athletes to wrestle for state titles

Four Cabarrus County wrestlers will compete for state championships Saturday at the N.C. High School Athletic Association wrestling tournament at Greensboro Coliseum.

Jay M. Robinson’s David Cline (106 pounds) and Kenan Robertson (160) as well as Central Cabarrus’ Heath Gleaton (113) and Hickory Ridge’s Try Gregor (120) reached the 3A state championship matches in their respective weight classes.

For more, see the full brackets.