Football season just
around the corner
Area teams warm up with scrimmages
By Don Beane
Don’t look now but football
is quickly approaching and
area schools are gearing up
to the kickoff to the 2015 fall
season with scrimmages this
week.
Chatham Central, JordanMatthews, and Northwood will
all conduct a pair of preseason
warmups before the season officially starts on Friday, August
21st.
In Siler City, JordanMatthews and veteran head
coach Marty Scotten, a recent
East/West All-Star selection
for next July, are gearing up
for the 2015 campaign with
some tough scrimmages.
Jordan-Matthews was
scheduled to take on Eastern
Randolph in Ramseur yesterday (Tuesday) at 5:00 p.m.
The Jets, which have roughly
40 players out right now, will
then head to Thomasville for
a preseason clash with the
Bulldogs on Friday at 6:00
p.m.
Jordan-Matthews opens the
Brice
picks up
big win
By Don Beane
MONTGOMERY, AL
— Austin Brice picked up
a big victory on the mound
for the Jacksonville Suns last
Thursday evening when the
former Northwood star and
Pittsboro native mowed down
the Montgomery Biscuits on
the road in a 7-2 road triumph
at Riverwalk Stadium.
The Jacksonville Suns (1526, 44-66) used five home runs
as a team to power past the
Montgomery Biscuits (21-19,
55-53).
Brice worked five innings allowing two runs (both earned)
on four hits while walking and
striking out three to get the
win.
Jared Mortensen (L, 6-5) in
his start for Montgomery generated five and a third frames
surrendering five runs (all
earned) on six hits while not
walking a batter and striking
out six.
The scoring would begin in
the top of the second when
David Adams (HR, 4) and
Viosergy Rosa (HR, 6) delivered back-to-back home runs
to leap Jacksonville ahead 2-0.
Moving to the last of the
August 13, 2015 Edition
Jeff Davis photos
Let’s get it
started . . .
County high school football
teams started up another season this past weekend getting practice times stared
up. Jordan-Matthews, Northwood and Chatham Central
all are in the process of the
first games slated for August
21. Northwood scrimmaged
at Western Harnett Tuesday
evening and will host a football jamboree Friday night.
Jordan-Matthews
participated in a scrimmage at East
Montgomery also Tuesday
evening. Central hosts a
scrimmage on Wednesday
evening before heading to
Eastern Randolph on Saturday morning.
The football season’s opening games will begin on Friday, August 21 with all three
county teams hosting games.
Southern Nash will be at
Northwood, West Montgomery at Jordan-Matthews and
Wake Christian Christian
will be at Chatham Central. Games times are set for
7:30pm.
2015 season officially down in
Wadeville on August 21st with
a renewal of a long time rivalry against West Montgomery.
In Pittsboro, the Northwood
Chargers are gearing up for its
initial season under the guidance of new head coach Brian
Harrington, a staple of the
NW program for decades as a
player and assistant coach.
Harrington and the Chargers
are facing a rebuilding year
of sorts after heavy losses to
graduation.
But the 1st year coach will
get to see where club stands
with a pair of preseason scrimmages, one which was slated at
Western Harnett last evening
(Tuesday).
Northwood will then host its
annual Jack Shaner Jamboree
on Friday night at 6:00 p.m.
with a host of talented teams
from around the area which
should get the Chargers ready
for what will be a challenging
non-conference schedule.
That begins on Friday,
August the 21st when the
locals host Southern Nash
before Northwood welcomes
4A power Charlotte Catholic
to Pittsboro.
Down in Bear Creek, veteran Chatham Central coach
Bob Pegram has around 40
out as well thus far in the preseason.
The Bears are getting a
taste of hitting someone else
besides themselves beginning
tonight (Wednesday) in Bear
Creek when the locals entertain Graham and Providence
Grove.
On Saturday morning,
Chatham Central will head
over to Ramseur to tangle
with Eastern Randolph and
a host of other squads from
around the area including
what is expected to a much
improved North Moore team.
Chatham Central opens the
2015 season on August 21st
in Bear Creek with its annual
clash versus Wake Christian
Academy.
Former J-M’s
Edwards, Vikings
defense shines
By Don Beane
3rd quarter to cap the 14-3
CANTON, OH – Former
Vikings triumph.
Jordan-Matthews star and
Edwards has etched a long
Siler City native George
career in the NFL during his
Edwards shined on Sunday
career which has spanned two
night.
decades now.
Edwards, the Defensive
The local product returns
Coordinator for the
as the Vikings Defensive
Minnesota Vikings, saw his
Coordinator in 2015 after
troops hold the Pittsburgh
making significant strides in
Steelers to just three points
changing the defense in his
and 191 yards of
first season
total offense in
in 2014. In
Minnesota’s 14-3
his second
victory in the 2015
season with
Hall-of-Fame game
the club,
in Canton, Ohio.
Edwards
The Vikings alwill look to
lowed just a 36continue to
yard field goal at
build on the
the 8:27 mark of
NFL’s most
the 2nd quarter in
improved
rolling to the win.
defense. Mike Kafka
Edwards’
answered with a
stint with
34-yard TD pass
the Vikings
to Matt Pruitt with
George Edwards marks his
4:27 left in the half
third as
to put the Vikings
an NFL
up for good at 7-3.
Defensive Coordinator afJoe Banyard plunged in
ter working in Washington
from the one-yard line with
August 13, 2015 Edition
4:00 minutes left in the
Banquet awards players
on Post 81 baseball teams
By R. C. “Duck” Duckson
SILER CITY – Eastern Randolph American Legion Post
81 held its annual Senior/Junior baseball team banquet at
Bestfood Cafeteria on August
10, at which time a number of
individual awards were given
out to players on both squads
for their accomplishments
during the 2015 season.
Following a brief welcome
to players and parents in attendance by long-time Post 81
athletic director Grady Lawson, Junior Legion coaches
Boyd Jackson and Mark
Kidd addressed the crowd
and thanked Lawson for giving them the opportunity to
lead this year’s squad and remarked what a good group of
kids they had to work with.
The coaches then announced the following award
winners from the Junior Legion team, who made their
way to the podium to accept
a plaque as their name was
called: Top Batting Average
and Top Defensive Player –
Hunter Little; Top Offensive
Player – Jordan Cassell; Top
Pitcher – Nate Cockman;
Most Improved Award – Emry
Jackson; Stolen Base Award
– Connor Shipley; TeamBefore-Self Award – Michael
McGee; Sportsmanship Award
– Seth Smith; and Most Valuable Player Award – Cameron
Parrish.
Participation Awards were
also handed out to the following individuals: Eric Kidd;
Colin McDaniel; Troy Kinney; Lawson Arrington; and
Logan Wright.
Jerry Kidd, head coach of
the Senior Legion team, stated
he was fortunate to have a
good mixture of talent on this
year’s club that advanced to
the state tournament as one of
three squads representing Area
III. He noted the Senior group
played a total of 39 games this
summer, and remarked if you
are playing in July you’re having fun because that means
you’ve reached the playoffs.
Kidd commented he enjoyed
getting to know the different personalities on his team,
and said while losses hurt, the
wins always feel so good. He
indicated a great year was the
result of a great performance
by his players that should be
recognized.
He then announced the following award winners from
the Senior Legion team: Best
Hitter – Easton Jones; Best
Pitcher – Chase Fuquay; Best
Defensive Award – Hunter
Curtis; Sportsmanship Award
– Brayden King; Team-Before-Self Award – Ryne Yates;
and Best All-Around Award –
D.J. Laxton.
Keeping with past tradition, special plaques were
also presented to players who
have aged-out from the Senior
Legion ranks. This year the
following five individuals received such recognition: Carmine Pagano; Chase Fuquay;
August 13, 2015 Edition