Sports Week
Also Religion and Classifieds may 28, 2015
Marcus McKoy made the All-State team as
a senior at Calvary Baptist Day School.
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
i ?
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
When Marcus McKoy of Cavalry Baptist Day School
is on the mound, he's difficult to read. It doesn't matter if
he's facing a batter with the bases empty or with the bases
loaded. He's stone-faced all the time. There's never the
slightest hint of anxiety or nervousness on his part. Being
unflappable seems to be a trademark trait.
"Marcus has the ability to keep a clear head and focus
on the task at hand," said Coach Chris Vogler of Calvary
Baptist. "He keeps his emotions under wraps and doesn't
get rattled. Any time he's faced adversity, he's always bat
tled through it."
Over the past two seasons, McKoy, a left-hander, has
proven himself as one of the elites in private school base
ball. In his final season with Calvary, McKoy posted a 5
4 record with 75 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.32 in 47
innings pitched. Along the way,
McKoy threw three complete games
which included a no-hitter in a 12-0
win against defending (NCISAA 1
A) state champ Freedom Christian
Academy.
"Our defense gave me a lot of
help that day," said McKoy, who will
graduate on Friday (May 29) with a
3.4 grade-point average. "As for me, '
consistency was the difference. All
game long 1 was able to hit the cor
ners with my fast ball."
McKoy
At 6-feet-3,205 pounds, McKoy is a formidable pres
-? :?? ? ? I
ence. Although he has ample velocity (fast ball clocked in
the low 80s), he's not strictly a power pitcher. McKoy is at
his best when he's mixing speeds and throwing accurately
to different parts of the plate. His repertoire includes a
two-seam and four-seam fast ball, along with a fork ball
change-up and a knuckle curve that keeps opposing hitters
off balance.
"My control is better than what it used to be," he said.
"More than anything, I try to be consistent with my throw
ing mechanics. When I'm out there, it's all about staying
relaxed and trusting in my ability to get people out."
While McKoy is primarily a pitcher, he's skilled
enough to be an every day player. On those occasions
when he didn't pitch, he played first base. During the sea
See Pitcher on B2
\ck
N.C. State sprinter
wonders about what
could've been
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
In reflecting on his first
season of college track at
N.C. State, Shannon
Patterson can't help but
wonder about what
could've been. Even
though Patterson missed
most of the outdoor season
due to mononucleosis, he
8 made a
strong
impres
sion in
t h e
minds
of the
coach
ing staff.
At the end of the indoor
season in mid-February,
Patterson, a freshman from
Winston-Salem, became ill
and didn't get medical
clearance to return until
late April. In spite of his
lengthy absence, he shaved
a half-second off his best
time in the 200-meter
sprint and qualified to run
the open 400 at the Atlantic
Coast Conference outdoor
championships two weeks
ago. He also ran on N.C.
Patterson
State's 4x100 relay that
placed fourth at the ACC.
When Patterson
returned, he had to make a
decision about his immedi
ate future. He could turn
his total attention to being a
sprinter and compete, or he
could focus on his special
ty, the 400-meter interme
diate hurdles, and not com
pete this spring.
It's hardly surprising
that Patterson didn't make
an attempt to run the one
lap hurdles race. This
event, arguably the most
grueling in track and held,
puts a premium on stamina
and technique. The bout
with mono caused him to
Ards
miss too much of the train
ing time which would've
enabled him to develop
endurance and sharpen his
hurdling form.
As a result, Patterson,
who graduated from Mount
Tabor last year, focused on
the sprints. Aside from the
open 400 and the 4x 100, he
ran a leg on the 4x400.
Wolfpack sprints/hurdles
coach Tamara Ards is excit
ed about the future.
"Shannon's up-side is
huge," said Ards. "He's an
untapped talent who landed
in our lap. I have to admit
that I was pleasantly sur
prised with what he was
able to do. When he came
See Sprinter on B2
1
^ I
Photo by Craig T. Greenlee
At the national championships, Temetris Morrison (in red) was fifth in the 400
meter hurdles and she anchored the 4x400 relay that posted a top-5 finish.
Lady Rams make presence
felt at track & field nationals
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FDR THE CHRONICLE
In the days leading up to the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Track & Field
Championships, Coach Inez Turner of Winston-Salem State created a mantra of sorts in
the collective mindset of her team. Her talks didn't place heavy emphasis on final out
comes. Instead, she repeatedly reminded the ladies that they would be best served by
focusing solely on their performances in the preliminary rounds.
"At a national championship meet, the key is to make it to the finals," said Turner, a
former college national champion and world-class middle-distance runner. "Once you
make it to that final round, anything can happen."
See Lady Rams on B2
336-750-3220