CCS can’t overcome Trojans
KINSTON — Community Christian was after its second varsity girls basketball win of the season Monday but host Bethel Christian wasn’t having it and prevailed 34-29 in the smallest margin of defeat for the Cyclones this season
Senior Abigail Jackson led CCS (1-13), which only trailed by two through three quarters, with 14 points to go with 15 rebounds and six steals. Claire Carter added nine points and four rebounds for the Cyclones, who will host New Bern Christian on Thursday at ENCSD.
Bethel Christian exited 4-12.

: HPCA’s Cooper, Drew to coach in Triad ASG
HIGH POINT — High Point Christian’s boys coach Joseph Cooper and girls coach Brittany Drew have been selected to coach in this year’s Triad All-Star Classic basketball games.
Cooper will coach the East boys while Drew will coach the East girls teams. Tyler Bentley from North Surry will coach the West boys and Ken Leak from Parkland will coach the West girls.
The 12th annual Triad All-Star Classic will be Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, at TW Andrews. Player rosters for the unsigned seniors game and all-star games are expected to be released soon.

Westminster Catawba, starting to find stride, stops SouthLake
BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

Just in time for the playoffs, Ed Addie’s Westminster Catawba team is beginning to hit its stride.

“I hope so,” Addie said after Tuesday’s 62-44 win at home over SouthLake Christian.

“We’re trying to figure a couple things out. We don’t have a true point guard, so we’re having to play a couple different people there, but it’s working.”

Since suffering a 3-game losing streak earlier this month, Addie’s team has won four of its past five games. On Tuesday, Jalen Booker got his team going scoring several early buckets and Kenyon Addie got hot outside.

Star Tim Hall had 24 points and 20 rebounds. Westminster got control early in this one, leading 33-19 at halftime. SouthLake Christian (8-21) lost its second straight game. Senior Christian Monroe, son of coach Rodney Monroe, the former N.C. State star, had a team-high 17 points.

WESTMINSTER CATAWBA 62, SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN 44
WESTMINSTER CATAWBA: 62 - Tim Hall Jr 24 Points, 20 Rebounds 4 Blocks, Derek Bradley 11, Nick Hamrick 10, Jalen Booker 9, Kenyon Addie 8
SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN: 44 - Mason 5, Gazzaway 5, Brzovic 2, Gardner 2, C. Watson 15, C. Moore 17

Bragging rights: Tigers top Knights for 1st time on Minter’s late 3
January 29, 2023
By Paul Durham paul@wilsontimes.com | 265-7808


With big games looming in the immediate future for both the varsity boys basketball teams at Wilson Prep and Greenfield, Saturday’s second meeting this season between the Tigers and Knights was a chance for one last nonconference test for both squads to prepare for the postseason.

Forget all that.

This was about bragging rights that now reside with Wilson Prep after junior Leslie Minter buried a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds to give the Tigers a thrilling 65-62 victory – their first in six games against Greenfield since 2018 – and set off a jubilant postgame celebration inside the packed WPA gym.

“It feels very good,” said Minter. “Everybody in the city thinks they’re (the Knights) the top dog. We just showed them that’s not true.”

For WPA head coach Anthony Atkinson Jr., it felt very good to finally get his first win in five tries against not only his alma mater but against his former coach and good friend Rob Salter.

“We needed that monkey off our back!” said a drained Atkinson after a game that saw 12 lead changes and four tie scores. “That monkey’s been on our back. Even when we won the state championship, that’s all people said: ‘Well, you didn’t beat Greenfield.’ This year they said, ‘You didn’t beat Farmville, you didn’t beat Greenfield.’”

Indeed, the Tigers, who won the NCHSAA 1-A championship in 2021 after starting the COVID-shortened season with back-to-back losses to the Knights, dropped their 2022-23 season opener at Greenfield, 81-68, as part of the Hoop State Network’s 252 Tip-Off showcase in November.

Salter, while disappointed with his team’s lack of focus early in the game, was impressed with the resilience of the Tigers, indicating the amount of growth since that pre-Thanksgiving matchup.

“First of all, hats off to Wilson Prep,” Salter said. “They were fantastic. They played hard. I thought they came out with so much intensity and focus. They executed when we made mistakes. They really hit the big shots when they needed to. I thought we missed a lot of easy shots and when we did, they capitalized. I’m happy for Ant, man. That’s a big-time win and they completely deserved it. They outplayed us, no doubt about it.”

The Tigers, ranked third among NCHSAA 1-A East teams by MaxPreps.com, rose to 14-6 with their seventh straight victory while the Knights, top-ranked in the NCISAA 2-A tabulation, dropped to 22-8.

“You learn more from losses and this year with this team, if we don’t do what we do well, if we break off it, we’re just an average high school team,” Salter said. “If we play the way Greenfield is capable of playing, then we can play with anybody.”

Senior Jahmar Jones, whom Atkinson called “the best 6-(foot)-1-and-under player in the state,” led Wilson Prep with 22 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists while junior point guard Matt Kirby paced Greenfield with 13 points.

In the first half, the Knights were just trying to keep up with the Tigers, who looked like they were on a mission despite starting the game down 2-0 after having a technical foul assessed for Minter’s “dunk” during warmups. Kirby hit both free throws to give the quick lead to the Knights, who were without 6-5 junior Hampton Evans while he’s still under concussion protocol. Wilson Prep made sure to push the ball into the paint as often as possible, but Jones assured that was the game plan regardless.

Most of that attack came through 6-8 junior center David Ellis, who grabbed 15 rebounds, including eight off the offensive glass, to go with eight points on the night.

While every Wilson Prep player on the floor seemed eager to make something happen, the Knights looked hesitant in the early going, as though they were waiting for one player to light their fuse. Greenfield senior Kyshon Atkinson, who finished with 12 points, said the fervent atmosphere in the “Tiger’s Den” was a distraction.

“The first half, we were just rowdy,” he said. “We didn’t come out composed. We came out kind of feeding into the crowd. That’s what got us in the first half but the second half, we calmed down, we were more poised and then we came back and were playing like us.”

Senior Bryson Wall scored nine of his 11 points in the game over the final 5:20 of the second quarter to keep Greenfield within six points at halftime. But Anthony Atkinson knew the Knights would answer eventually.

“I told our guys in the third quarter, I said they hadn’t made a run yet, because we pretty much controlled the first half,” he said. “They hadn’t made a run and I told them, I said, ‘It’s coming.’ I told my coaches, ‘I know it, I know it! It’s coming.’”
person of Kirby, who had seven of his team-high 13 points in the third quarter.

“Matt kind of took over the game in the third and really changed the tempo for them,” the Tigers head coach said. “We knew that he can get downhill with the best of them. Matt’s a very underrated point guard. He’s fast, he’s herky-jerky and he’s heady. He took over there for a minute.”


Greenfield closed the third quarter on a 13-2 run to go up 51-47 while Jack Adair and Micah Sherrod did their thing on the defensive end to spark the Knights.

The Tigers tied the score on baskets by Brandon Anderson, who had a quiet 17 points, and Jones before Nik Edwards hit a 3-pointer and Micah Sherrod, who came off the bench for 12 points, got a putback to give the Knights their biggest lead at 56-51.

“They made a run but we never let it get past five,” Anthony Atkinson said. “But my guys, I’m so proud because all year long, we’ve talked about battling and competing every play. And we were so resilient tonight and we answered every run with a run of our own.”

Consecutive baskets by Ellis, Jones and Minter returned the lead to the Tigers at 57-56 with just under five minutes to play. Adair’s layup gave Greenfield the advantage again before Anderson canned his second 3 of the night to put WPA back up 60-58. Kirby tied the score again with 2:42 remaining for his only points of the quarter. Atkinson credited Jones and Hicks for helping to stifle Kirby.

Two Tigers turnovers gave the Knights several chances to reclaim the lead but part of Greenfield’s fourth-quarter issues were an 0-of-6 showing at the foul line, part of a 12-of-20 night at the line.

“That’s what gets you in these games,” Salter groaned. “We missed free throws and layups and then at the end, we just weren’t smart.”

With the score still knotted at 60-all, Anderson drew a critical charging foul on Kirby with just 63 seconds to play and this time Wilson Prep didn’t give up the ball. Instead, Jones penetrated and dished to a wide-open Ellis for a go-ahead dunk with 31 seconds to play. Greenfield answered on Sherrod’s second-chance goal to tie the score for a final time with 23.9 seconds left, giving the Tigers the ball with a chance to win.

Anthony Atkinson noted that Minter, one of the team’s top scorers who recently moved to a reserve role as the first one off the bench, struggled in the Tigers’ 73-31 romp at 1-A Tar-Roanoke Athletic Conference foe Northwest Halifax on Friday.

“That was the first game in two weeks he hadn’t done anything,” Atkinson said of Minter, who had just two points Friday. “I texted him on the ride home last night from Northwest and I told him, ‘I don’t know what it is, but you’re going to do something special tomorrow. You’re still a big-time player no matter what happens, but tomorrow you’re going to do something special.’”

With the clock running down, Jones found Minter on the left wing behind the 3-point arc. The Greenfield player guarding him gambled in trying to poke the ball away from Minter, who calmly dribbled a step to his right to set up for a wide-open look that was never in doubt on the WPA bench.

“When he pump-faked – he does that all the time in practice – I turned to the coaches and said, ‘That’s good,’” Atkinson said.

Minter, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds, said: “My team had confidence in me and I had confidence in myself, so I knocked it down for my team

The splash created a frenzy of spectators and players erupting before WPA officials moved quickly to clear the floor with 1.7 seconds left. After a timeout, the Knights got a half-court heave from Sherrod that fell well short of the iron and the Tigers finally had their first win against Greenfield.

“All this game was about was respect,” Jones reminded. “That’s all we needed. We needed to be disciplined. This was for bragging rights.”


GREENFIELD (62)

K. Edwards 2, N. Edwards 5, Kirby 13, Atkinson 12, Adair 7, Sherrod 12, Wall 11.

WILSON PREP (65)

Jones 22, Hicks 5, Anderson 17, Minter 11, Ellis 8, Eatmon 2.

Score by quarters:

Greenfield 13 18 20 11 – 62

Wilson Prep 15 22 10 18 – 65

CAPE FEAR ACADEMY 43 HARRELLS 27
CFA : 9-11-11-12===43
HCA : 7-7-8-5---275, DHCA—Antonio McCoy 11, Bennett 3, Funes 0, McNeill 8, Brunsen 0, Gibbs 0, Spell 5, D.McCoy 0,
CFA 15-6 HARRELLS 19-2

CARDINAL GIBBONS 56 SANFORD GRACE CHRISTIAN 53
The #4 (via HighSchool OT) Lady Crusaders came up just three points short against the #14 Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders. Sarah Strong (20 pts), Halisi Whitley (12 pts), & Miyah Campbell (11 pts) led the Crusaders with Whitley and Campbell hitting 7 threes between the pair. Gibbons came out with big shots pulling out to an 8 point lead. This game was back and forth the entire contest with Grace pulling ahead by four in the second half; but our home Crusaders lost the foul, rebound and turnover battle and in a game this close the margin for error was razor thin. Grace held the visiting Crusaders to only one shot in the 3rd quarter but Cardinal Gibbons grabbed 12 rebounds that quarter stalling the ability of the home Lady Crusaders to get any separation. With fouls piling up and some late game mistakes this one did not go our way. Your Lady Crusaders move to 23 – 3 overall and will be back in action Thursday, 1/26 at home versus South Wake Sabres. The Raleigh area conference tournament will begin the week of Feb 6th with the NCISAA state playoffs the week after.

Beloved CCS Baseball Coach Greg Simmons passed away after a battle with lung cancer, stepping into his eternal home with our Savior. Our prayers go out to his wife, sons and grandchildren, that God will bless and comfort them in the days ahead. We love you #42.



Charlotte Christian’s Greg Simmons, a 16-time state champion, dies after cancer battle BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR. UPDATED JANUARY 28, 2023 1:17 PM


When Hal Bagwell got the news that 16-time state championship baseball coach Greg Simmons had died, he said he didn’t know how to feel.

“It’s just an empty feeling,” said Bagwell, the longtime South Mecklenburg and Ardrey Kell baseball coach about to start his third year at Indian Land (SC) High.

“It’s a sad, sad day, not only for the baseball community but for the Charlotte Christian community. He just had such a positive impact on so many people in such a great way, and he was one of the most humble men I’ve ever known.”

Simmons died after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 57. Simmons started teaching at Charlotte Christian in 1989 and took over the baseball team in 1992, building one of the state’s most dominant programs. In 30 years with the Knights, Simmons’ teams won 733 games and 16 state titles. His teams also won 22 CISAA conference titles and Simmons coached 95 players who played in college and 10 who became Major League draft picks. In 2016,

Simmons was inducted into the N.C. Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was named regional coach of the year by the Charlotte Observer five times. No N.C. private school baseball coach had as many wins as he did. His final team, last spring, won the state title, too.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Renee, and their family — sons, Tyler, Matt and Hank, and four grandchildren, and we pray that God will bless and comfort them in the days ahead,” Charlotte Christian head of school Barry Giller said.

Simmons played baseball at Liberty University from 1986-88 for former New York Yankee great Bobby Richardson, and also served as a graduate assistant coach during the 1989 season. His passing comes during the same week that longtime Charlotte Christian football coach Jason Estep resigned after winning eight state championships in 17 seasons.

Bagwell, who won a public school state title at Ardrey Kell in 2009, said Simmons will leave a legacy like no other.

“He’s probably the top coach ever out of this county,” Bagwell said. “But this is just awful news. He made an unbelievable contribution to people and kids. It’s immeasurable really. He’ll be sorely missed, man, that’s for sure.”

Cougars earn split with Greensboro Day
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 27, 2023 Updated 1 hr ago

HIGH POINT – High Point Christian was again neck-and-neck with one of the top teams in the state. But Greensboro Day again escaped with a hard-fought win.

The Cougars built a sizable lead early but fell behind double digits late, going cold during a couple pivotal stretches. They stayed within reach in the final seconds before falling to the Bengals 45-40 in PTAC boys basketball Friday night at HPCA.

In the girls game, HPCA – hitting shots and playing strong defense – raced ahead in the first half, continued to pull away and rolled past Greensboro Day 52-29.

“I wanted to see us take a step forward, and I definitely saw that tonight,” Cougars boys coach Joseph Cooper said. “We competed. They’re a lot bigger than us, and for us a big point of emphasis for us was physicality and competing.

“We definitely did that. Obviously we’ve got to shoot the ball better from the free-throw line. We also missed a lot of point-blank shots, especially in that third quarter. But we’re right there both times we’ve played them. We just have to get over the hump.”

Isaiah Sanders – who left with a hand or arm injury with two minutes left in the game and didn’t return – scored 10 points to lead HPCA (14-12 overall, 3-3 conference), ranked No. 93 in the state overall and No. 7 among NCISAA 3A teams. Benny Limbacher and Adam Grier each added nine points.

The Cougars, who shot 31% from the field for the game while the Bengals shot 43%, led by six in the first quarter and extended it to eight midway through the second. But GDS pulled even at 19-19 into halftime. HPCA still led with 3:20 left in the third before the Benglas scored the final eight points of the quarter to lead 33-26.

GDS – which struggled with 16 turnovers while HPCA had six – extended its lead to 10 with 3:14 left in the game after the Cougars came up empty on four of their first five possessions of the fourth, including back-to-back trips on which they missed a tough layup and then the follow at the basket.

HPCA, which missed all seven of its free-throw attempts in the fourth, did rally – getting as close as four with 54 seconds left and again with 10 seconds left. But the Bengals, ranked No. 11 in the state overall and No. 2 in the NCISAA 3A, hit four of their final six free throws to stay just far enough ahead.

Jaydon Young scored 19 points while Joseph Bachman added 10 points to lead GDS (25-3, 6-0), which won the team’s previous game 46-43 earlier this month.

“They’re playing against big-team players,” Cooper said. “Adam Grier was just guarded for four quarters by a kid going to Virginia Tech. So, this should give them a lot more confidence. And hopefully down the stretch we’ll be a lot more confident for it.”

Griffins, Spartans tangle in Oxford
By Bryant Baucom bbaucom@hendersondispatch.com;
OXFORD — Oxford Prep swept the varsity twin bill on their home floor on Thursday, defeating Kerr-Vance Academy on Senior Night for both the girls and boys basketball programs.

In the opener, the Griffins record their highest point total of the season, downing the Spartans 60-26 to take the season series.

Off to the races from the opening tip, they would not look back as a 16-9 lead after eight minutes turned into a 29-11 advantage at halftime.

Senior Kadence Woodlief paced Oxford Prep in the scoring column, recording a game-high 21 points after heating up in an 11-point third quarter.

Samantha Huff (14 points) and Emily Wilkinson (11 points) were the remaining Griffins to score in double figures, helping them record their second non-conference victory of the season.

For KVA, junior Kiyona Patton was exceptional despite the loss, scoring a team-high 13 points. Patton was successful at getting to the free throw line, connecting on seven of her attempts at the charity stripe.

While Oxford Prep improved to 4-11 on the year, the Spartans dropped to 3-9 overall and extended their losing streak to eight games in a row.

The nightcap featured two programs on the upswing with both teams having won two of their last four contests heading into the non-conference tilt.

Fortunately for the Griffins, their success would continue with a dominating 62-27 victory en route to a sweep of the season series over KVA.

Much like the girls team that got off to a quick start, the boys did the same and distanced themselves in the second quarter. Oxford Prep, which led 15-5 after the first period, used a 20-2 run to effectively put the game out of reach prior to the halfway point.

Senior forward Logan Jones poured in a game-high 15 points, scoring in double figures for the fifth consecutive game and for the ninth time this season.

Sophomore shooting guard Andrew Adcox (11 points) and junior point guard Justin Thomas (10 points) assisted Jones on the offensive end, combining for five of the Griffins’ eight three-point field goals.

Their performance on the glass was as impressive as their offensive output with Oxford Prep pulling down 53 total rebounds in the contest. Sophomore center Joshua Juntunen tallied a career-high 13 rebounds in the contest, while Adcox grabbed a season-high 7 boards to assist the big man.

Juntunen was instrumental in keeping the Spartans off of the scoreboard as well, dominating the paint with five blocks.

Thursday’s win marked the seventh victory of the season for the Griffins, who earned their third win in their last five tries and improved to 5-4 on their home floor.

While both varsity programs for Oxford Prep are off until Tuesday, Kerr-Vance returned to action on Friday for the second night of a back-to-back. The Spartans hit the road once again for a conference matchup and doubleheader with Rocky Mount Academy.

Grace Christian School has tapped former Major League Baseball Player and Coach, Rob Wooten as their Athlete Development Director and Head Varsity Baseball Coach. Coach Wooten will lead a new department for aspiring athletes at Grace. His area of focus will be the identification of athletes who aspire to play in college and beyond. The department will help these young people prepare physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually for their next steps. Along with the academic guidance department, Coach Wooten will help athletes and their families navigate the process of marketing themselves to prospective college coaches.

In addition to these duties, Coach Wooten also takes over as the Head Varsity Baseball Coach. With the resignation of Coach Michael Matson, Wooten fields a team coming off a 22-3 record and winners of the NCISAA 1A State Championship. Moving into the 2A Class for this year, the Crusaders return most of last year’s team and are expected to make a run for the 2A crown this season.

Rob Wooten, a graduate of the University Of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, played in 3 College World Series and holds multiple records for the Tarheels. Wooten, a Goldsboro native, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, where he spent 15 years in professional baseball. Along with the Brewers, he also played for the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. The last two seasons were spent as a pitching coach with the Cincinnati Reds.

Wooten had this to say. “I have been fortunate to be in professional baseball for the last 15 years. My family and I are thrilled that the Lord brought us home to Sanford to serve Him full-time with this opportunity. We look forward to impacting our church, school and community through mentoring these young people on and off the field. Go Crusaders!”

Founded in 1970 and located in Sanford, NC, Grace Christian School offers multi-accredited K-12 Private Christian Education. Our mission is to equip students from a Christian worldview to reach their God-given potential through excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts and technology. Our faculty and staff have been hand-selected for their outstanding qualifications, commitment to education and love for Jesus Christ.

Cyclones win streak snapped by Mustangs

NEW BERN — The Community Christian school boys basketball team saw its five-game winning streak come to a close with a 68-54 loss to North Carolina Christian Athletic Association 2-A North Region foe New Bern Christian Monday evening.

Rylan Gay led the Cyclones, who fell to 12-4 overall and 3-2 against North Region foes, with 15 points, followed by Jared Kovach with 12, Seth Huston with nine and Tavares Williams with seven.

The Cyclones will visit Trinity Christin in Greenville on Friday.
CCS : 12-11 15-16---54
NBC : 12-9-21-26—68
CCS—Ryan Gay 15, Jared Kovach 12, Williams 7, Huston 9, C.Pittman 2, Smith 5, B.Pittman 4
CCS 12-4 NBC 13-5

Mount Calvary Christian 55, Fellowship Christian 16
HOOKERTON — The Warriors never trailed in victory over the Lions, jumping out to a 10-0 lead on the way to a fifth straight victory.
Mount Calvary Christian is now 10-9 heading into Tuesday’s home game against Ahoskie Christian, a team the Warriors fell to on Dec. 5.
Hannah Rice led the way for the Warriors with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Emily Buck had 13 points, three steals and three assists, and Bailey Wade added 11 points, eight assists and four steals.

WCA boys finish strong for region win

By Andrew Schnittker

Behind a strong second quarter, the Wilson Christian boys basketball team came up with a key NCCSA 2-A East Region victory on Tuesday evening, topping visiting Southside Christian 54-39.

The Chargers, who improved to 7-14 overall and 4-3 against East Region foes, took a 15-point lead into halftime and never led by fewer than seven points in the second half against the Warriors (2-11, 1-5) as they closed it out efficiently down the stretch.

“We definitely needed a conference win,” said Wilson Christian head coach Kevin Zander. “… We’ve been struggling a little bit offensively. It was nice to get some things going in the second quarter. I was pleased with how we played offensively in the second quarter offensively. We started off a little slow again, but we got into a rhythm scoring 24 points there in the second. So it was definitely a huge win for us to go 4-3 in our conference.”

Simon Quinn led the Chargers with 18 points, followed by Titus Batts with 14.

Zack Lines led the Warriors with 17 points.

After the Chargers took a 6-4 lead following a defensive battle of a first quarter, Wilson Christian went on a tear in the second frame, outscoring the Warriors 24-11 to take a 15-point advantage into the locker room.

“I think in the first quarter we came out slow,” Batts said. “But we realized we needed to start pushing more. I think we really are a second-half team. We like to push more in the second half.”

The Chargers finally got their press and transition game going for some easy layups, and started finding a way to attack the paint, which in turn opened up some 3-point shooting opportunities late in the frame.

“Ball movement was key, and just being patient,” Zander said. “We tried to force it inside a little bit too much in the first quarter, and once we started to move the ball a little bit more around the outside before we attacked the middle and the edges, that was the difference in the second quarter.”

After the Warriors cut WCA’s lead to 18-13, the Chargers finished the frame on a 12-2 run. With WCA up 20-13 with a couple minutes left until halftime, Quinn came up with a 3 and a steal layup in under 10 seconds, pushing the lead to double digits for the first time of the game.

In the last minute of the period, Brayden Joyner splashed down a 3, and Quinn came up with a last-second layup to send the Chargers into the locker room up 30-15.

“Making the defense work is key,” Zander said. “So us working the ball around quickly and penetrating those gaps was certainly a difference maker. Because we are a quick team, we were able to capitalize on that.”

The Warriors managed to do a better job forcing turnovers with their own press, limiting Wilson Christian’s opportunities to get inside against their zone and knocking down a couple 3-pointers in the third quarter, cutting WCA’s lead down to single digits for the first time since the second quarter with under two minutes left in the third.

The Chargers, however, kept their opponent at arm’s length, and came up with a key layup from Batts late in the third quarter to take a 10-point lead into the fourth.

“We keep our composure,” Batts said. “They’re a good team. They know how to keep their composure too. We’ve just been through the situations so much to where we just know not to panic. We just keep calm.”

The Chargers’ lead never dipped below seven in the fourth quarter as they finished strong down the stretch, demonstrating composure as they worked the ball around and through the zone for key buckets to preserve their lead.

“I did not want to call a timeout,” Zander said. “I wanted them to play through it. I think it was important for them to play through it without me having to calm them down and get their composure. So we’ve been working on our mental toughness all year, and I think some people like Seth Trull and Xay Joyner stepped up tonight and composed the team to where we could keep moving forward and finish it in the fourth quarter.”

The Chargers will be back in action Tuesday, Jan. 31, with a visit from Living Waters Christian.

“We just need to keep calm, stay intense, keep composure and play hard,” Batts said. “These teams are good in our conference.”


SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN (39)--Lines 17, Boush 8, Keeton 7, Buchanan 4, Purdum 3.
WILSON CHRISTIAN (54)--Quinn 18, Batts 14, B. Joyner 7, X. Joyner 5, Clark 4, Provo 2, Zander 1, Trull 1.

Score by quarters:

Southside 4 11 14 10 — 39

WCA 6 24 9 15 — 54

Changing of the guard at Charlotte Christian. Football coach Jason Estep steps down
BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

When Jason Estep was named football coach at Charlotte Christian 17 years ago, the Knights had been through four coaches in three seasons. In two of those years, the Knights won a combined three games.

But Estep thought he could build a winner at Charlotte Christian — and he built a dominant N.C. private school state power.

Estep, who resigned Tuesday, led Charlotte Christian to a NCISAA Division I state championship in 2008, which was his second year with the program. Christian won three in a row from 2012-14 and four in a row from 2017-20.
The Knights lost to Providence Day in the state championship game this season, the final game for Estep’s son, Cam, as quarterback. Cam Estep is a senior.

Jason Estep will start a new job as an operations manager with Universal Forest Products next month and will be leaving his positions as football coach and assistant athletic director at Christian. Charlotte Christian alumnus Chris James will be the new head football coach.

James played under Estep for three years before playing at Richmond and ultimately graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in exercise science.

James coached at Christian from 2010-16 before leaving to become head coach at Covenant Day. After three years at Covenant Day, James was an offensive coordinator at Ardrey Kell and Myers Park High Schools in Charlotte. He returned to Christian this fall as offensive coordinator under Estep.

“I am confident that coach James will build upon the foundation that coach Estep created while maintaining the culture of excellence that is (Charlotte Christian) football,” Knights head of school Barry Giller said.

At Christian, Estep had a record of 138-42 with the eight state championships, four state runner-up finishes and 10 conference titles. He sent 96 players to college and two to the NFL — Garrett Bradbury (Knights class of ‘14, a lineman with the Vikings) and Matthias Farley (class of ‘11, who plays with the Raiders). Estep was twice named coach of the year by the National Christian Schools Athletic Association as well as The Observer.

“While all of these accomplishments are remarkable,” Giller said, “what was most important is how Coach Estep invested in his players. His desire was to teach our student-athletes how to compete at the highest level and honor God. His intentional discipleship greatly influenced hundreds of players as they left (Charlotte Christian) and are now impacting the culture for Christ.”

APA picks up victory over Wayne Christian
Arendell Parrott coach Kelly Johnson talks to his players during a timeout Tuesday against Wayne Christian.

Arendell Parrott made the right plays late to snap a skid.

The Patriots defeated Wayne Christian 45-39 Tuesday as a 2-game losing streak was broken. APA (14-5) defeated the Eagles 52-43 on Dec. 9, but needed a second-half push to emulate the result.

Wayne Christian (8-7) jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but APA jumped back in front as Caroline Ouano banked in a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the first four the 9-8 advantage. The second quarter was tightly contested, with eight lead changes and a pair of ties. Neither team had an advantage higher than two and the game was tied at 19 going into the break.

The Patriots never trailed in the second half, getting a big pushl off the bench in the third from Ashley Hill, as she scored six points in the frame. Hill's final bucket have the Patriots a 29-23 lead late in the third.

"Coming in fresh, I was able to come in and score the ball to help out," Hill said.

A steal and layup by Ella Fox brought Wayne Christian within 32-31 with 6:25 left, but APA responded with seven unanswered. Caroline Ouano hit a 3-pointer, followed by a Rachel Okonkowo basket. When Okonkowo found Ouano for a basket, the Patriots led by eight with 4:35 to go.

"I was able to switch it up and play more in the post, which helped me out," Okonkowo said.

Wayne Christian wouldn't get closer than five the rest of the way.

Okonkowo finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks for APA. On the other side, Fox had a game-high 23 points.

ARENDELL PARROTT 45, WAYNE CHRISTIAN 39

WC 8 11 8 12 — 39
APA 9 10 12 14 — 45

WAYNE CHRISTIAN — Ella Fox 23, Hayli Verne 13, Huffman 3
ARENDELL PARROTT — Rachel Okonkowo 13, Ouano 9, Wooten 8, Hill 6, Dawson 6, Hille 2, Myers 1

Three-pointers: WC — Fox. APA — Ouano 2

Kirby leads Knights past Tigers in double overtime

The Greenfield School boys basketball team overcame a lion’s share of adversity in a showdown with Trinity Academy of Raleigh on Monday evening, coming away with an 81-65, double overtime home win behind a 31-point night from senior guard Matt Kirby.

The 2-A Knights of the NCISAA 2-A/3-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference climbed to 22-7 overall in a game that they led for most of regulation before a bad bounce late allowed the 2-A Tigers (14-5) of the 2-A/3-A Conference to tie the game. Greenfield and Trinity battled back and forth throughout the first overtime before the Knights ran away with a 19-3 second overtime period.

“Our guys stepped up,” said Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “When we did make a couple mistakes, we kept on saying next play, move on. I thought we did a good job of refocusing and getting to the next play when we did make a mistake.”

The victory did not come without a cost for Greenfield, as leading scorer Hampton Evans was concussed by an accidental elbow to the head within the game’s first few minutes.

Salter said he anticipated Evans missing at least a week, perhaps longer.

In Evans’ place, several other players stepped up.

Kirby led the Knights with 31 points and seven assists, hitting big shot after big shot and going 14-for-15 from the free-throw line.

“He completely controlled the game,” Salter said. “He made big-time plays, big-time shots. He was great.”

Kyshon Atkinson posted 15 points, followed by freshman point guard Kobe Edwards with 10. Jack Adair posted eight points and 14 rebounds.

After leading for most of the game, the Knights, up by two, inbounded the ball to Kirby with about three seconds left, but his dribble went off his foot and right to a Trinity Academy player, who tied the game and was fouled in the process, but missed the free throw, sending proceedings to overtime at 56-56.

“It was a very unlucky play,” Salter said. “It was a really good high school game. It was a very physical game. We showed a lot of toughness and we stayed together to win that game.”

With Greenfield trailing 60-59 with a minute left in overtime, Kirby buried a 3 to put the Knights up by two. Trinity then tied the game, and Greenfield missed a shot at the win before dominating the second overtime.

“We’ve lost a couple close ones to some unlucky situations,” Salter said. “…For us to be down in the first overtime, our guys just stayed together and believed. We still made a couple of bonehead mistakes, but they scrapped and stayed together. I thought our togetherness won the game.”

The Knights will host CPIC foe Parrott Academy for Senior Knight on Friday.

COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 67 BETHEL CHRISTIAN 50
BCA 18 7 16 9 — 50
CCS 19 11 20 17 — 67
BCA--Hill 10, Overman, Strickland, Wade 3, Spellman, Holmes 18, Banks, Gurley 3, Sanderson 16.
CCS--Pittman 7, Smith 12, Gay 4, Harris, Pierce 3, Huston 21, Williams 12, Kovach 8.
BCA 5-13 CCS 12-3

COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 45 BETHEL CHRISTIAN 37
BCA 10 9 11 6 — 37
CCS 10 6 8 21 — 45
BCA --Gates 2, Davenport, Morrison 1, Salazar 2, Lanning, Manning, Baker 6, Donoho 4, Devine, Fulcher 22.
CCS--Jackson 26, C. Carter, O. Carter 10, Ventura 6, Holmes 2, Mangum, Whitley 1.
CCS 1-10

The best high school boys basketball team in Fayetteville? New Life Christian makes its case
Rodd Baxley
The Fayetteville Observer

Monarchs is a fitting moniker for New Life Christian Academy boys basketball.

With an 84-79 win against Seventy-First at the third annual MLK Dream Jam showcase on Monday, the Monarchs strengthened their case as the kings of the court in Fayetteville.

In a matchup that featured the squads with the best resumes in the city, New Life (22-9) and Seventy-First (14-2) lived up to the hype with a back-and-forth battle in the top game at Terry Sanford’s two-day event.

Both teams earned trophies at the Cumberland County Holiday Classic and the Falcons rode a 12-game winning streak into Monday’s matchup.

But the Monarchs have the most victories, including wins against Seventy-First and E.E. Smith (11-3) – another Fayetteville team in contention for a conference championship.


“We proved that we can hoop with anybody. We can hoop with anybody, especially in the city,” said senior guard Malachi Travis, who had 14 points against the Falcons.

“I think we’re the top school in Fayetteville and I stand by that.”


Overall, Cumberland County’s public schools had a 6-3 advantage in the showcase to earn bragging rights over private schools for the second year in a row. But the boys split six games Monday.

After earning a 61-44 win against New Life Christian last season in the Holiday Classic, Seventy-First ended the season with a state championship appearance as Fayetteville’s top program.

New Life coach Aaron Parker has respect for the Falcons and what they’ve accomplished, but he wanted his team to embrace the opportunity that Monday presented. The Monarchs didn’t let him down, particularly senior wing Jakwon Moore, who scored 29 points for the event’s top performance.

New Life Christian's Jakwon Moore (11) had 29 points in the top performance at the MLK Dream Jam showcase.
“We had to come in and get the job done,” Moore said. “They said we’re the best in Fayetteville if we win that game, so we’re the best, for sure.”

As a member of the Carolina Athletic Association for Schools of Choice, New Life has the benefit of playing a college-like schedule. Winston-Salem Christian, Quality Education Academy and Piedmont Classical are among the other CAASC programs.


“We do have rules – I know people think we don’t. … The main difference that I see is the number of games and who we’re allowed to play,” Parker said.

“Other than that, we have the age limits, we have conference and state championships. We have grade requirements, all of that.”

In addition to high-profile teams in North Carolina, the Monarchs have traveled to Georgia, Maryland and Virginia this season.

“One of the biggest advantages is we can play whoever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want,” Parker said. “We’ve played 30 games and it’s January. We’ll probably end up playing close to 40-45 games. We play public, private, it doesn’t matter.”

And New Life’s goals go beyond challenging for the top spot in Fayetteville. With six players averaging double figures, the Monarchs could challenge for their first CAASC state championship since 2018.

“I still don’t feel like we’re playing our best basketball right now, and that’s the scary part for a lot of schools we may see in the future,” Parker said.

“We’re not gelling yet like we should be … but we’ll get there.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

HPCA sweeps crosstown rival Westchester
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 20, 2023 Updated 5 hrs ago

HIGH POINT – High Point Christian finally found a rhythm and pulled away to beat crosstown rival Westchester Country Day.

The Cougars scored the final nine points of the first half to lead by double digits, pushed their lead past 20 in the third and defeated the Wildcats 48-29 in PTAC boys basketball in front of a sizable crowd Friday evening at Westchester.

In the girls game, HPCA, capitalizing on its size and experience, raced to a 63-12 victory.

“Our defense was definitely ahead of our offense tonight,” Cougars boys coach Joseph Cooper said. “We’ve got to clean up some things on offense, but I liked our defense a lot.

“We had a tough shooting night last night at Concord (Academy), and I think that carried over a little early. Then we started to see a couple go through. Of course, that’s what you need as far as confidence goes as a shooter.”

Toot Clay and Taft Johnston each scored 10 points to lead HPCA (13-11 overall, 2-2 conference), ranked No. 96 in the state overall and No. 8 among NCISAA 3A teams. Adam Grier added seven points as eight players scored.

With both teams struggling early, the score remained close midway through the second – with the Cougars leading by four with three minutes left. But HPCA, which scored on five straight possessions, closed the half on a run to lead 24-11 into halftime.

The Cougars – who outscored the Wildcats 22-5 over a nine-minute span – then pulled away early in the third to lead by 21 with two minutes left in the quarter. HPCA shot 47% from the field for the game, including 58% in the third, while Westchester finished at 29% with 15 turnovers.

“We played defense,” said Clay, a freshman. “We got deflections, ran the floor and got easy layups. It felt good because, even though we still played hard, it wasn’t as stressful.”

Jalen Umstead scored eight points for the Wildcats (7-8, 0-4), who are 2A members of the PTAC.

“We were outhustled, we were outplayed,” Westchester coach Brook Patterson said. “We played very tentative. We had trouble catching the ball early. We went from attacking to being attacked.

“We played so hard and so well Tuesday (against Calvary Day). We really felt confident and we just struggled being who we’ve been. I’m sure a lot of credit goes to them for putting us in spots where we weren’t comfortable tonight.”

Wesleyan girls defeat Forsyth Country Day
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 19, 2023 Updated 7 hrs ago

HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian went up a gear and put away Forsyth Country Day.

The Trojans, upping the tempo, went on a run to close the second quarter, doubled their lead in the third and defeated the Furies 51-33 in girls basketball Thursday evening at Wesleyan.

“We want to run as fast as God will allow us to,” Wesleyan coach Daniel McRae said with a laugh. “I think teams struggle with just long-term pressure. And I don’t mean defensive pressure — I just mean: If you have to sprint back every single possession, it’s exhausting. And I just told the girls at halftime, ‘Second half, I think we’re just going to wear them down.’ ”

Taylor Hawley scored 14 points to lead the Trojans (15-9), who have won five in a row and eight of their last nine games. Lily Pereira had 13 points while Blythe Cunningham added eight points as eight players scored for Wesleyan.

“I think we’ve really established we’re one of those teams that has to lock in,” said Pereira, a senior wing and a Florida Southern recruit. “We’re not one of those teams that can just walk in and not bring up energy and get wins. We have to bring effort, we have to focus. I think we’re all starting to really realize we have to do those things. And when we do those things, it results in wins.”

The score was tied with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter before Wesleyan — which shot 44% for the game, including 50% in the second — went on a 10-2 to close the half with a 23-15 lead. It scored on its final five possessions.

The Trojans opened the third with a 12-4 run to lead by 16 with 1:33 left in the third — outscoring Forsyth 22-6 over a nine-minute span. Wesleyan highlighted its defense with a stretch of blocks on four consecutive possessions.

“I think the biggest thing is our in-game conditioning in practice,” Pereira said. “And we always practice pitch-aheads. We always practice moving the ball really well and just running and running and running. I think what helps us is that, when we get past the first half, we still have energy. We’re not going to put on the brakes — we’re going to come out guns blazing.”

Wesleyan, rotating in its reserves, stretched its advantage to 21 twice in the fourth and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the final 13 minutes of the game.

Parker Childress scored 12 points for the Furies (11-7), who shot 32% for the game.

WIth seven regular-season games left to play over the next three weeks, the Trojans — ranked No. 6 among NCISAA 4A teams — play again tonight at Metrolina Christian.

“Sometimes you can just sense it that they’re starting to figure things out,” McRae said. “I told them two, three weeks ago that I think we’re getting ready to go on a run. That’s not to say we’ll win everything, but we’ll start playing at a higher level. Kids who’ve struggled a little bit are starting to come around. … They’re starting to mature and grow up and understand the speed of the game.”

Intense second half keys CCS victory
By Tom Ham

By halftime, the host Community Christian School varsity boys basketball team had seen enough of being matched basket-for-basket by the guest Bethel Christian of Kinston in Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf’s Barney Williamson Gym on Thursday night.

Triggered by 6-foot-7 senior Seth Huston, the Cyclones of the North Carolina Christian Athletic Association 2-A division turned up the intensity in the second half and pulled away to a 67-50 non-conference win. Huston supplied 21 points and 15 rebounds.


The Cyclones of head coach Derrick Atkinson posted their 12th win against 3 losses and return to NCCAA 2-A action on Monday at New Bern Christian Academy.

“We realized we were slacking a little bit,” Huston explained, “and we had to step up our game. We underestimated them. They came out strong and we knew we had to come back stronger.”

Leading 30-25 at halftime, CCS constructed a 41-31 working margin in the third quarter on successive field goals from Huston, 6-0 junior Tavares Williams and 6-1 senior Ayden Smith. A 3-pointer from sophomore Jared Kovach propelled the Cyclones to a 50-41 margin after three quarters.

The Trojans (5-13) of the North Carolina Christian Schools Association 2-A ranks drew no closer than seven points in the fourth quarter, despite the efforts of senior Josh Holmes.

Another bucket from Kovach staked CCS to a 56-43 margin, and the 13-point bulge would be again matched before a Huston-led tear in the closing minutes – when the Cyclones were conscious of the clock and slowed the pace.

“The intensity was high and I was happy with the performance,” Atkinson said. “We had to step up the intensity and limit the turnovers. We picked up on defense and started making cuts on offense. We started getting easier baskets.”

CCS’s size advantage troubled the Trojans.

“We quit moving the basketball,” commented 24th-year Bethel head coach Bert Potter. “We tried to press to turn up the tempo, but they threw over the press and got 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 matchups.

“They went to the offensive glass really strong and got a bunch of second-chance points. They’re a nice team.”

Huston’s performance drew praise from his coach.


“Seth played really well,” Atkinson remarked. “He always gives us good minutes, but he played to a different level tonight. He got a little meaner and a little tougher.”

Smith and Williams each tossed in 12 points for CCS, and Williams wound up with a double-double by virtue of pulling down 10 rebounds. The Cyclones ruled the backboards 41–22.

“We were a little bit bigger, and I felt like we could wear them down,” Atkinson said.

Abigail Jackson leads CCS girls to first win
By Tom Ham

For the first time after 10 games, no dread accompanied the return of Abigail Jackson, the only senior member of the Community Christian School varsity girls basketball team, to the locker room following the game.

Not only was Jackson’s career-best performance of 26 points and 18 rebounds not in vain, but the Lady Cyclones won for the first time during the 2022-23 season, stinging visiting Bethel Christian of Kinston, 45-37, Thursday evening in Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf’s Barney Williamson Gymnasium.

“I was really excited,” exclaimed Jackson, whose dad, Andy, is the team’s head coach. “There was not a bad word to say. We were all happy, and it gave us hope for the rest of the season.”

A promising sign flashed early when CCS led in a game for the first time this season. A pair of free throws from sophomore Olivia Carter boosted the Cyclones to a 12-10 edge with 7:41 left in the second quarter. CCS owned a 19-16 halftime lead and expanded the margin to 30-24 after three quarters. The Cyclones of the North Carolina Christian Athletic Association 2-A ranks did not trail again after snapping a 30-30 tie.

CCS players were aware Bethel had won just once in 11 games and, said the smiling Jackson: “We knew this was going to be the night.“

Be assured the final result was not achieved in picturesque fashion. The teams combined for 46 turnovers – 28 by CCS; 49 fouls – 31 from the Trojans; and shot 60 free throws. Decisive for the Cyclones was a 27-for-49 performance at the foul line, while Bethel, a member of the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A ranks, sank just 2 of 13.

“We hustled more,” Jackson explained. “We haven’t been hitting free throws, but everybody tonight was at least 50 percent. We rebounded well (a whopping 57-40 advantage); instead of being behind people, we were in front of them. And we played better defense.”

Despite being burdened by four fouls, Jackson responded with a sensational second half. She swished her last 11 free throws and, for the game, was a sizzling 17 of 20. She was a dominant rebounder, triggered the defense and orchestrated the offense.

“I’m the captain,” she reasoned, “and I try to do all I can.”

Jackson got help from teammates that stepped up a level. Olivia Carter netted 10 points. Freshman Aiyana Holmes snared 17 rebounds and freshman Allie Whitley 12. When Jackson wasn’t handling the ball, sisters Claire, a freshman, and Olivia Carter were. Freshman Abril Ventura factored with her defense, free throws and field goals. Sophomore Katie Mangum spelled those in need of a rest.

“I felt a whole lot of pressure at the foul line,” Jackson admitted. “I knew I had to knock them in. I just tried to cancel everything out and act like the score was 0-0.

“I honestly felt like we could win when I hit the free throws back-to-back, and we pressed them and got those turnovers.”


Olivia Carter and Jackson provided the second-quarter spark. However, the Trojans surged into the lead in the third quarter behind junior Olivia Fuleher and Anna Donoho.

In the fourth quarter, CCS forged a 30-30 tie on Olivia Carter’s basket. But Jackson picked up her fourth foul with 5:50 still remaining.


However, Jackson and her supporting cast were not phased in handling the effort of Bethel’s Fulcher, who was determined not to lose.

A string of points from Jackson and Ventura’s two free throws sent CCS to a 43-35 margin. The Cyclones could sense the night was theirs after Jackson’s layup produced a 62-49 margin with 3:25 showing.

CCS’s youth glared in the final minutes, but Bethel’s Fulcher didn’t get any help.

Although in a jubilant mood, Jackson insisted her plight has not been dismal despite the 0-9 start.

“I have enjoyed this season,” she contended, “I have been helping the other girls and I am still learning as well.

“But, now, this feels really good. It was a long time coming.”

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN 69, GREENE CENTRAL 66

CC 13 18 19 19 — 69
GC 10 14 21 21 — 66

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN — Shane Anthony 15, Ben Gladieux 12, John Henderson Jr. 12, Jenkins 9, Tucker 7, Pentoney 6, Towels 5, Alston 3
GREENE CENTRAL — Bingo Auston 16, K.J. Harper 16, Branch 8, Coppage 8, Hall 5, Holmes 5, Williams 5, Cobb 3
Three-pointers: . CC — Anthony 5, Pentoney 2, Jenkins, Towels, Alston. GC — Auston 4, Williams, Cobb.
Crossroads