Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Oct. 22, 1981, edition 1 / Page 13
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Stewart’s Slants By Gary Stewart Scott Hits A Homer... All The Way To Heaven ^ (ED. NOTE: Th« following column wai writton by Bud CruMoll, Sports Editor of tho Ocala Stor-Bannor in Ocala. Fla., on tho doath lost wook of Scott Carrigon, a former Kings Moun tain resident and little league baseball player in Ocala. Scott died of leukemia on Oct. 14. He wos the son of Bill and Pat Cor rigan, formerly of Kings Mountain, and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Corrigan of Kings Mountain. Scott Carrigan hit a home run Wednesday... And, when he had rounded the bases he was in Heaven. ® Back in the summer 1 wrote a story about an 11 -year-old boy and his love of baseball. He loved baseball so much he refused to give up and let the leukemia that had attacked his body have its way. Oh, how much courage and determination that little fellow had to have to get up out of his sick bed and go to the ball park when the first practice was called last spring. Despite his wobby legs and lack of energy, he put on his uniform, grabbed up his glove and headed for Clyatt Park. 0 He amazed his coaches and the other players as he went through the paces on the baseball diamond. He ran, he threw and he batted. Never a complaint...only concerned with doing the best he could. He became an inspiration to others. He participated in every game during the long summer months. And, there he was...doing all he could to help his team in the championship playoffs. Sometimes, Scott would stumble a little bit. He couldn’t make those diving catches like he was able to do at one time. He couldn’t hit those long home runs anymore...the muscle weren’t as strong as they once A were. ^ Oh, how he hated to make an error, or strike out or walk a batter. He wanted to be the best baseball player there ever was. He once received a letter from the commissioner of Major League Baseball commending him for his courage and perserverance. He gave strength to others. He made his parents strong, giving them the ability to bear up under the weight of the circumstance. He ap preciated his family so much. He was concerned that he might be too much of a burden to them because of his illness. In Gainesville’s Shands Hospital yesterday morning, he told his mom and dad how lucky he was to have them for parents because they 9 had been staying with him constantly during those final days. Scott was aware of the imminent end...but he never mentioned it. At I p.m. Wednesday, The Announcer called out his name. And, what a home run that little fellow hit. All the way to heaven. Kings Mountain’s Kevin Mack is playing a key role in Clemson University’s football team’s surge into the top 10 national rankings. The 185-pound sophomore is alternating at fullback with Jeff Mc Call, and is doing a good job of running the football and blocking for other backs in Clemson’s I-formation. Despite playing with a wrist injury. Mack threw the key blocks last Saturday on two of Clemson’s touchdowns in a 38-10 victory over Duke’s Blue Devils. The Tigers are 6-0 going into a pair of home games the next two weeks against N.C. State and Wake Forest. Although the Tigers aren’t looking past those two, many of their fans are looking toward a November 7 date at North Carolina which could pit two unbeatens- and two of the top rated teams in the country-against each other. A number of other former KMHS football standouts are also seeing their share of duty on the college level this fall. Tackle Chuck Gordon captains the defense at Appalachian State University and ranks as one of the top defensive linemen in the Southern Conference. Kelly Land starts at offensive guard for Lenoir- Rhyne, Henry Hager is a second unit tackle at N.C. Central (he started before an injury set him back a bit) and freshman Markus Hager is a backup defensive end and starter on the specialty teams at N.C. State. \ A V ( « 1 .r- LEADING RUSHER - Kings Mountain's Carlos Owens (38) finds some good running room against South Point in Friday's Southwestern 3-A Conference football game at John Gamble Photo by Gary Stewart Stadium. Owens moved from his guard position to fullback and gained 91 yards rushing to lead the Mounties to a 6-0 vic tory. their first of the season. Mounties Win First 6-0, Chase Here Friday Night Kings Mountain High’s of fense scored its first touchdown of the year against a Southwestern 3-A Conference opponent Friday night at John Gamble Stadium, and the Moun taineer defense came up with three big plays in the fourth quarter to make it stand up for a 6-0 victory over South Point’s Red Raiders. Mountaineer quarterback Eric Spicer threw a 61-yard alley-oop touchdown pass down the South Point sideline to end John Barnette in the first quarter to give the Mounties their first win of the year after six close losses. South Point fell to 3-3 in the SWe and 3-4 overall. The Mountaineers go after their second straight win Friday night against Chase. It will be the Mountaineers’ annual homecoming game. South Point tries to snap a two-game losing . streat at home against SWC leader Crest. The Mountaineers drove in side the Raider 20 on their first possession of the night as sophomore fullback Curt Pressley reeled off three carries for 43 yards. But Pressley suf fered a broken wrist on his third run-a 26-yard scamper-and the Mountie offense bogged down after that. But senior Carlos Owens mov ed from his guard ptosition to fullback and took up the slack, finishing as the game’s leading rusher with 91 yards in 22 car ries. Tailback Travis Bell, who had been slowed with a back in jury the last two weeks, added 63 yards in 16 tries. The Mounties drove 86 yards following a Raider punt for the game’s lone touchdown. Two 11-yard runs by Owens got the Mounties into good field posi-1 tion, and then Spicer hooked up ' with Barnette on the TD pass with 1:10 left in the quarter. Cam Stewart’s PAT attempt following a 15-yard holding penalty sailed wide to the left. After that, both teams drove BIG PLAY - South Polnt'a Duko Howard (whit* jortoy) catchM a koy flvo-yord poaa for a Ural down at tho Kings Mountain 15 yard lino In Friday's Southwstom Conforonco foot ball gomo at Qamblo Stadium. But coming up Photos by Gary Stowort from his blind sldo to glvo him a jarring hit which cousod a fumblo is KMTs John Bamotto (85). Tho Mountios won thoir first gamo of tho yoar. 6-0. 9PORK the ball well only to be turned away near the goal line by good defensive stands. The Mounties had a drive stopped at the three on a fumble, and in the fourth period. South Point lost fumbles at the one and 15 and had a key fourth down pass batted down by Barnette at the 22. A long Raider pass near the end of the first half was intercepted at the five by KM safety Bert Long. South Point’s three biggest threats all came during the last five minutes of play. A blocked KM punt at the 26 yard line put the Raiders in excellent field Gridgraph PLAYER CARRIES YARDS Carlos Owens 22 91 gravis Bell 16 63 Curt Pressley 3 43 Lorry Wilson 2 1 Eric Spicer 9 0 Totals 44 SOUTH POINT RUSHING 198 PLAYER CARRIES YARDS Scott Lee 3 31 Duke Howard 2 30 Preston Eorle 9 29 Carl Sims 3 27 Keith Young 10 19 Totals 27 KMHS PASSING 176 PLAYER ATT. COMP. INT. YDS. TD Spicer 4 3 0 SOUTH POINT PASSING 84 1 PLAYER ATT. COMP. INT. YDS. TD Lee 9 3 1 KMHS RECEIVING 37 0 PLAYER CATCHES YDS. TD Barnette 1 61 1 Long 1 14 0 Dixon 1 SOUTH POINT RECEIVING 9 0 PLAYER CATCHES YDS TD A. Young 2 30 0 Howard 1 7 0 ' ■ ^ • V- position, but Barnette’s good defensive play on the fourth down pass ended that threat. Just moments later, the Raiders recovered a Moun taineer fumble at the nine yard line and in three plays moved to the one with a fourth and goal situation. But on fourth down, KM’s Long came up with a big hit to force a fumble, and Stewart recovered it to halt the Raiders’ biggest threat of the night. The Mountaineers were unable to pick up a first down and Long had to punt from near the goal line. His short kick car ried only to the 35 yard line, giv ing the Raiders yet another ex cellent opportunity to pull out the victory. They moved to a quick first down at the 25, but the KM defense stopped three running plays and South Point was faced with a fourth and five at the 20. Quarterback Scott Lee hit Duke Howard with a five-yard pass that was good enough for the first down, but Barnette came up with a jarring hit to force another South Point fumble, and Owens recovered with 302 re maining. The Mounties picked up two first downs to run out the clock. The two teams were about even statistics-wise, but the big difference in the game was four South Point fumbles and the lack of a consistent offense by the Raiders. They hit only three of nine passes for 37 yards, while the Mounties hit three of four for 87 yards. Kings Mountain rushed for 198 yards-their biggest output of the season-and South Point had 176 yards rushing. The Mounties held the Raiders' leading rusher, Keith Young, who w as playing injured, to onl • 19 yards in 10 carries. Lee led the Raider rushing with 31 yards in three carries and Howard had 30 yards in two tries. Turn To Page 9-B BATS DOWN PASS - Kings Mountain's )ohn Barnette (85) breaks in iront of South Point receiver Duke Howard to bat down a fourth down pass which halted a Raider drive at the 28 yard line in Friday's Southwestern Con ference football game at Gamble Stadium. Barnette had o big night defensively and caught a 61-yard touchdown pass to help lead the Mounties to a 6-0 victory.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Oct. 22, 1981, edition 1
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