Sports Week .
Also Religion and Classifieds may 14, 2015
? Reagan Raiders unite for
student athlete battling cancer
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Chase Vaden, left, and Denard Smoot, right, who were teammates ofSavion Littlejohn, middle, have
been one of the driving forces behind the Pray for Sae 7-on-7 football tournament. Vaden
approached Savion with the idea while Smoot is responsible for getting participants for the
tournament on May 30.
BY TEVIN STINSON
FOR THE CHRONICLE
Last year around this
time, Savion Littlejohn, a
sophomore linebacker at
Reagan High School, was
preparing for the summer
grind of football season.
This year football is not as
important to the towering
runstopper.
In a few weeks Savion
will have his final treat
ment of chemotherapy.
After what seemed to
be a simple back injury
during the playoffs last sea
son, Savion's grandparents
urged him to go to the hos
pital. That's when he was
diagnosed with lymphoma.
Savion, who is known
for his hard-nose play on
the field, took the news in
stride. After four treatments
of chermotherapy, he still
walks the halls smiling.
"I see this as just a
minor setback, but it's
cool," Savion said. "I
know I'll come out of this
better than ever."
Head football coach
See Sae on B3
?v , 'JWbm &
PPAY M SflE
Pray For Sae 7-on-7
football tournament fundraiser
Date and Time:
Saturday, May 30,8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place:
Reagan High School,
3750 Transou Road, Pfafftown
Admission:
$5; children 10 and under get in free
All money raised and donated
on this day will be given to Savion
Littlejohn, a current junior football
player at Reagan High School who
is battling lymphoma.
Finals will be streamed nation
wide on CoachesAid.com.
For more information on the
event as a whole, visit the website
Pray ForSae7on7. WebStarts .com
or contact: Chase Vaden at jchase
vaden@gmail.com or 336-354
8769.
Parkland girls
continue reign as
state champions
Washington-Saunders of
Reagan finishes 2nd in the 400
BY CRXlO T. OREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
It's really no surprise that Parkland bagged
another Class 4-A state outdoor track and field
championship last weekend in Greensboro.
There was never any doubt that the Mustangs
would rule.
Parkland, who led the field with 95 points,
was clearly head and shoulders above every
body else. Cary was the runner-up with 59V4
points, followed by Apex (58) and High Point
Central (40).
So, now the curtains have closed on the
superlative careers of six seniors who helped to
make Parkland a formidable factor in high
See Track on B2
I I ? I
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
McKinley McNeil, left, runs past Eboni Roberson on the
anchor leg of the 4x400 relay.
Productive nucleus returns for Lady
Rams next Softball season
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
Overall, Winston-Salem State
University's recently-concluded soft
ball season was a struggle. It wasn't
until the next-to-last game that the
Lady Rams assured themselves of
finishing above the .500 mark. On the
plus side, though, the ladies finished
strong and won 12 of their last 17
games.
"There were ups and downs," said
Coach LaTaya Hilliard-Gray of
WSSU, which finished the year at 23
22. "But with this team, it was never
a question of talent. It was more
about being consistent. They learned
for themselves that in order to win a
championship and advance to the
regionals, they have to play as a unit
in every game."
With three seniors departing from
this year's team. Gray will have a
viable cast of returning players for
next season - all of whom will be
sophomores or juniors. Of that group.
See Lady Rams on B2
Photo by Craig T Greenlee
WSSV's Mercedes Hargett slides into second base.
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
Hay den O'Neal has filled a variety of roles as a
starter and relief pitcher.
Pitchers need support
to propel Rams in
postseason
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem State University has more than enough
power and punch in its lineup to make a strong run in the
NCAA Atlantic Regional Baseball Championships, which
begins today (Thursday, May 14) in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Scoring runs, however, is just one part of the equation.
Stand-out pitching is a much-needed requisite to survive
and advance. Still, even the best pitching staffs need stel
lar defensive support.
In postseason play, the combination of timely hitting,
stellar mound work and solid defensive support, can't be
overemphasized. If any one of those three elements is
missing from the mix, an early exit is the most likely.
That's what happened to Winston-Salem State a year ago.
The Rams went home early after losing 4-3 to
Shepherd (W.Va.) and 1-0 to Kutztown (Pa.) at the region
als. Against Shepherd, WSSU committed four errors,
which led to three unearned runs.
In the Kutztown game, the Rams surrendered the
game's only run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth
inning. In the bottom half of the ninth, WSSU had a runner
on third, but was unable to score a run that would've tied
the game.
"Pitching-wise we're not as deep as some teams, but
we do have more depth now," said Rams Coach Ken
Ritsche. "Our guys pitched well at last year's regionals,
but we didn't hit the ball particularly well. Plus, we didn't
come through defensively like we needed to. It's impor
tant to make the big plays; it's important to make the rou
tine plays."
Ritsche is counting on Aaron Hatcher, Sam Burton and
See Baseball on B2
1
F 336-750-3220