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The first Soccer For A Cure Invitational is Thursday and Saturday in Charlotte. The tournament is the brainchild of Olympic High coach Matt Merrill and Catholic High's Oscar Del Pino, who hoped to launch an alternative to the long-running Frank Ponce tournament, which has ended.
The tournament features many of the region's top men's high-school teams. A portion of the proceeds will go to cancer research.
Thursday's pairings (at Ramblewood Soccer Complex; 6 p.m. starts): Catholic vs. Mallard Creek; East Meck vs. Lake Norman; Olympic vs. Weddington; Marvin Ridge vs. Myers Park; Forestview vs. Butler; Porter Ridge vs. Ardrey Kell; South Point vs. Providence Day; Charlotte Latin vs. South Meck.
Saturday's (Aug. 22) pairings at Charlotte Catholic: Lake Norman vs. Porter Ridge, 2 p.m.; South Meck vs. Covenant Day, 4 p.m.; Myers Park vs. Charlotte Catholic, 6 p.m.
Saturday (Aug. 22) at Olympic: Marvin Ridge vs. Mallard Creek, 4 p.m.; Butler vs. Olympic, 6 p.m.
Saturday (Aug. 22) at Charlotte Latin: Weddington vs. South Point, 2 p.m.; Forestview vs. Providence Day, 4 p.m.; Ardrey Kell vs. Charlotte Latin, 6 p.m.
Scholarship to honor Iredell athletes
The Coach Joe Popp Athletic Scholarship will be awarded to an Iredell County athlete attending Catawba College. Popp, the oldest of nine children, played football and basketball at Catawba. He coached football at Jonesville High (now Starmount), West Forsyth and Mooresville High. Popp later coached in the World Football League and in the NFL as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns.
In 2008, Popp, now retired, was inducted into the Catawba County Sports Hall of Fame.
Around the area
Hopewell basketball player De'Mon Brooks has 25 college offers. He plans to visit Northeastern Sept. 5 and Wright State Sept. 12. He's taken unofficial visits to High Point, Appalachian State, Howard, Davidson and the College of Charleston.
Ardrey Kell baseball player Logan Ratledge, a junior infielder, has committed to N.C. State, coach Hal Bagwell said. Ratledge is a two-year starter and was an all-conference player last season for the N.C. 4A state champs.
Lake Norman's football team won five games combined from 2005-07, but the Wildcats won seven last season, including 17-7 over rival Mooresville. Lake Norman and Mooresville move to the I-Meck conference this year with Mecklenburg County teams.
Lake Norman returns nine starters, including its entire offensive line. Tailback James Cloud, who rushed for more than 900 yards in 2008, is also back. “We feel like with our experience,” coach Scott Sherrill said, “we will be able to take a lot of chances to put up a lot of points.” Jay Edwards
Mooresville is trying to replace 32 starters from last year's 9-4 team. New coach Steve McCurry is 56-18 at Greenville (Tenn) and Asheville Reynolds. JE
Butler High junior quarterback Christian LeMay got a scholarship offer from Mississippi State last week, his father said.
