Elevator
Walter Aikens, Harding: In Friday's 56-49 loss to Olympic, Aikens rushed 15 times for 105 yards and 1 TD. He completed 20 of 38 passes for 343 yards and a school-record five touchdowns. UP
Myers Park soccer: Moved to No. 1 in the N.C. 4A coaches poll. UP
Butler football: Ranked No. 10 in the East Coast region by the National Prep Football Poll. Independence is No. 7; Rock Hill South Pointe No. 9. UP
Indian Trail Porter Ridge girls golf: Team has won all six conference matches and is led by North Carolina signee Courtney Gunter, averaging nearly 2-under for 9 holes in league play. UP
Krista Gross, Concord Cannon basketball: Connecticut women's coach Geno Auriemma visited Gross on campus last week, as did North Carolina's Sylvia Hatchell and Texas coach Gail Goestenkors, according to Cannon coach Trevor Lampman. Assistant coaches from Stanford spent a day with Gross and attended classes with her, Lampman said. UP
The Week's Best
Forsyth Country Day soccer (6-5-4) at Charlotte Latin (13-3-1), today, 5 p.m.: Forsyth Country Day is ranked No. 7 in the private coaches poll and is a two-time defending state champ. Latin is No. 1 in the polls this week.
Charlotte Catholic volleyball at Charlotte Latin, Wed, 4 p.m.: Two of the state's best teams meet in late season non-conference match. Latin coach Suzie Pignetti has won more than 600 career games. Hawks star Liza Price leads her team in kills (266), digs (296), aces (56) and blocks (28).
Lake Norman soccer (11-1) at Mooresville (12-0-2), Wednesday, 7: Earlier this season, Mooresville, ranked No. 4 in the 3A state poll, ended Lake Norman's 60-game win streak. Wednesday, No. 5 Lake Norman tries to get some payback on the road to get in position for a league title.
Notes
Panthers' Smith to be ‘coach for a day'
Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith will be a “coach for the day” at Lake Norman High today.
One of Smith's sponsors is a major sports drink company that offered area high school football teams a chance at a day with Smith. Area athletes submitted an essay in 89 words or less – in deference to Smith's jersey number - about how the school would benefit from Smith's participation.
Lake Norman senior kicker Sully Shidler had the winning essay. He and his teammates will get a new coach for one day next week.
Covenant Day's soccer team finished the MAC Conference regular season with a 10-0 record and will host the conference tournament semifinals Thursday (5 and 7 p.m.) and championship Friday (7:30 p.m.). The team's leading scorers are juniors John Varol (18 goals, 4 assists) and Alex Daniels (15 goals, 8 assists)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools assistant director of athletics Sue Doran has worked for all three Yow sisters at the college level. Doran's first job out of college was as an assistant coach under Susan Yow at East Tennessee State. She was in adminstration under Kay Yow at N.C. State (director of basketball operations) and Deborah Yow-Bowden at Maryland (director of championships). Doran is in her third year at CMS.
Charlotte Christian basketball player Willis Hall had in-home visits from the College of Charleston and Presbyterian last week, Knights coach Shonn Brown said … Teammate Carson Sullivan, MVP of last season's Bojangle's Shootout at Marvin Ridge High, committed to the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school. Sullivan injured his knee in July and is recovering from surgery.
More than 60 city-county athletics directors, including CMS' Vicki Hamilton, will meet in Chapel Hill Wednesday. Discussion topics include the increasing ejection rate in N.C. athletics (soccer leads the way this year); lacrosse possibly becoming a sport next year; and college recruiting rules.
The Southwestern 4A volleyball tournament begins Monday at 5 p.m. at Providence High School. The Queen City 3A/4A volleyball tournament begins Monday at Berry. The ME-CA is at Hopewell Monday.
York's girls golf team finished the season with a 9-1-1 record. The Region 3 4A conference championship is today at River Hills Country Club. The top three teams advance to the 4A state championship in Lexington Oct. 20-21.
East Lincoln's girls tennis team (9-2 overall), ranked No. 9 in the state poll, won the Southern Piedmont conference title last week, finishing league play 7-0. The team begins conference tournament play today at North Lincoln.
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