The Choice for African- American Sews
The Chronicle
SportsWeek=
^ ? ? ' ? ^ ' march 28, 2002
Hosiery finishes second in state
Harris pours in 63 points in two games to lead the way
BY SAM DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
Marcus Harris put on an
offensive show for Hanes
Hosiery's 14-and-under All
Star team, hut it wasn't quite
enough to lead his team to a
North Carolina Parks and
Recreation state championship
last weekend in Charlotte..
Harris poured in 63 points
in the championship round of
the tournament. However
Hastes Hosiery couldn't come
up ^ith the key plays in the
championship game and
dropped a 74-67 loss to New
Bern.
Hanes Hosiery's 16-and
under All-Star team also was
knocked out in the champi
onship game. The 16-and
under team dropped a close.
loss to Washington County in
the championship game after
advancing to the title, game
with a key victory over Zebu
Ion. c
Hanes Hosiery's 14-year
old All-Stars defeated a strong
Clayton team 81-67 in the
semifinals to earn a berth in the
championship game. In that
game Harris poured in 30
points and got ample help from
Demon Smith and Jonathan
Williams, who scored 16 and
12 points, respectively.
Harris' offensive display
was even more outstanding in
the championship game when
he scored 33 points.
Hanes Hosiery, winner of
the West Regional title, got out
of the gate quickly and ran out
to a quick 7-0 lead. New Bern
fought back, however, to take a
40-32 lead at the half.
Harris and Hanes Hosiery
rallied to get close at the end of
the third quarter, cutting the
lead to only three points. But
this time Harris didn't get the
support he needed from his
teammates and Hanes Hosiery
was denied the title.
Coach Art Blevins of Hanes
Hosiery said it was neverthe
less a good run for his team.
"We played well and com
peted hard as a team," he said.
"We were able to cut the lead
behind the hot shooting of Mar
cus Harris. But New Bern was
too strong and their big men
inside caused us some prob
lems. It was a very physical and
hard-played game."
Hanes Hosiery's 16-year
S< t Hosiery on B3
Hanes Hosiery 14's All-Stars: front row - coaches John Harris, Art Blevins, Hurk Shaw; sec
ond row - Tay Springs, Marcus Harris, Bernard Lyons, Jonathan Williams, Errick Tate; third
row - Patrick Blackwell, Myron Hairston, Kennard Weeks, Rico Dodd and Dearon Smith.
Rams begin
spring drills
From The Press Box
^ Sam Davis
Blount still looking to find
replacement for Faison
Finding a defensive coordinator isn't
coach Kermit Blount's biggest con
cern for the next month or so. Fill
ing a couple of holes in the defensive line
backing corps and finding depth for the offen
sive unit are the major concerns of Blount,
whose Winston-Salem State football team
began spring drills last Monday,
The Rams, who lost in
the CIAA football cham
pionship game last fall,
began spring drills for the
first time in a long while
without the services of
defensive coordinator
Andrew Faison, who
accepted the head coach
ing job at Virginia State.
But for now Blount is
more concerned about
Blount
Who he will put on the field this season when
the 2002 season kicks off in August. The Rams
are hoping that the return of quarterback Josh
McGee will help the Rams win the league's
Western Division title again this season.
Blount said the Rams will practice five
days a week for the next few weeks before
ending drills with their annual Red-White
game.
"We just started our drills but we look for
some good things to happen this spring," he
said. "Our biggest concern is at linebacker,
where we lost (Robert) Mackey and (Carnell)
Brown. We have some good looking young
See Rams on B4
Photo by Bruce Chapman
Dana Cain of Parkland fields a grounder during a recent Mustangs game. Cain and her Parkland
teammates are in Coco Beach, Fla., this week participating in a national softball tournament. The
Mustangs have compiled a 3-1 record in the Piedmont Triad 3-A conference. Last week Cain went
4-for-6, drove in four runs and hit a home run in two Parkland victories.
Assume the
Position
Photo by Bonitta Best
St. Augustine's College looked like the days
of old as football practice got under way
after a 35-year hiatus. The Falcons, who
will play a regular fall schedule, will take
on Fayetteville State in their first game of
the season.
Football is officially back
at St. Aug's and Shaw
BY BONITTA BEST
CONSOLIDATED MEDIA GROUP
RALEIGH - The sky was gray and overcast
with sporadic drizzles. The temperature was in
the cool 50s, but for 60 hopefuls, the sun was
shining bright at 3:20 p.m. March 19. That's the
moment football returned to St. Augustine's
campus after a 35-year hiatus.
And less than 10 minutes away, 50-plus
wannabes were giving it their all for Shaw coach
Gregory Ruffin. The Bears began their first
spring practice in 23 years at Chavis Heights
Park.
'The anticipation and expectation level is
high," said St. Aug's coach Michael Costas, who
was the secondary coach/defensive coordinator
at Elizabeth City State. "I have the numbers;"
now if I can fandi some talent. Some haven't
played in a longtime, some never have, but I see
the ability. Guys came here because of football."
Costas will have a short time to decipher the
haves from the have-nots. Spring training is only
15 days long, he said. Then there's a break until
the fall. But Costas said he doesn't mind the
hard work ahead. That's what spring training is
for.
"Spring training is the opportunity to teach,"
he said. "It's a time to show the players what the
real program is all about. We work on the same
Sec Football on B4
William C. Sims Center honors its own
Happy Hill center supervisor honors standouts on Parkland football, basketball teams
Sims Center honorees Jeff Middleton, Ray Bristow, Mark Mason, Tasha Wilson, Tremon
Springs, Jovon Scipio, Paris Barnes and Traimaine Springs surround center supervisor Ben
Piggott.
BY SAM DAVIS
THE CHRONfCLE ___
There was an important
gathering at the Williams C.
Sims Center in Happy Hill
Gardens last Friday night.
The gathering was to honor
some of the center's prized
pupils.
Ben Piggott, the supervi
sor of the center, held the
event to honor Tasha Wilson.
Paris Barnes. Brian Carlton.
Tremon Springs. Jeff Middle
ton. Jovon Scipio. Ray Bris
tow and Tramaine Springs.
The gathering drew some
100 people, who came out in
support of the Shrkland High
athletes who got their start in
sports at the Sims Center. But
more important, according to
Piggott. it was a way to show
the kids of Happy Hill that
they can rise above their cir
cumstances and be successful.
"We want to show the
younger children who live in
Happy Hill that if they keep
their grades up and continue
to improve their athletic
skills, there is a world of
opportunity out there waiting
on them," Piggott said.
Piggott knows firsthand
the results of working in the
trenches. As center supervi
sor, Piggott is able to put his
hands on hundreds of youths
who come through the cen
See Sims Center on B2
Family members honoring the role models at Sims Center:
Mrs. Smith, Airs. Barnes, Kemp Robinson and Mrs. Mason
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