Cory Lavalette – Moore County Edition

Jan

19

2025

Athlete of the Week: Jaylen Kyle

Union Pines boys’ basketball senior captain Jaylen Kyle is Athlete of the Week. The Vikings are 10-5 on the year and ended last week with a 67-61 win over Hoke County. Kyle was high scorer in the game with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting. He added seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. For the year, Kyle leads the Sandhills Conference in scoring at 17.6 points per game. He’s also second in the conference in rebounding, blocks and double-doubles.

Jan

12

2025

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Kennedy Moore

SportsKennedy Moore, Pinecrest girls' basketball, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots

Pinecrest girls’ basketball sophomore point guard Kennedy Moore is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots started the new year with a 53-42 home win over Providence, and Moore led the way with 27 points on 3-of-8 shooting from 3. She also added four rebounds, second most for Pinecrest in the game, as well as a team-high four assists and five steals. For the year, Moore is in the top 10 in NCHSAA class 4A in scoring, made free throws and steals. She leads Pinecrest in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks.

Dec

21

2024

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Isaiah Upchurch

Sportsathlete of the week, Isaiah Upchurch, Sandhills Community College, Southern Lee

Sandhills Community College men’s basketball freshman guard Isaiah Upchurch is Athlete of the Week. The Southern Lee product is second on the No. 3‑ranked Flyers in scoring and is second on the team in 3‑pointers made. He came up big in the team’s biggest game of the young season, however. In Sandhills CC’s upset over the top‑ranked team in the country, Davidson‑Davie Community College, Upchurch scored 30 points on 9‑of‑16 shooting. He was also a perfect 10 for 10 from the free‑throw line and added two rebounds, two steals and three assists.

Dec

13

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Kingsley Donaldson

Sportsathlete of the week, Kingsley Donaldson, Union Pines, Union Pines basketball, Union Pines boys' basketball

Union Pines boys’ basketball post player Kingsley Donaldson is Athlete of the Week. Donaldson leads the Vikings in rebounding and is second in scoring and shooting percentage. He’s also second in blocks and third in steals. Donaldson had a huge game against Gray’s Creek, hitting 17 of 24 from the field, including 1 of 2 from deep. He also hit 3 of 6 from the free-throw line. When the dust cleared, he had 38 points, more than half of Union Pines’ 73 on the night. He also had a double-double, with a team-high 14 rebounds. Donaldson added four steals and…

Dec

01

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Tyne Ross

Sportsathlete of the week, North Carolina A&T, Tyne Ross, Union Pines

NC A&T volleyball freshman Tyne Ross is Athlete of the Week. Ross is a 2024 graduate of Union Pines, where she starred for the volleyball and tennis teams. She’s now a freshman on the NC A&T volleyball team. The Aggies entered the postseason with a 17-9 record, a significant turnaround from 8-18 last year. Ross is a big reason why. A&T won back-to-back games to close out the regular season, and Ross led the team in kills in both games, with 17 and 21. She also had a team-high seven digs in the season finale. Ross leads the team in…

Nov

23

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Zymire Spencer

Sportsathlete of the week, Pinecrest, pinecrest football, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots, Zymire Spencer

Pinecrest senior running back Zymire Spencer is Athlete of the Week. The No. 12 seed Patriots won their NCHSAA playoff opener, beating New Hanover 30-16, and a crushing ground game led by Spencer is a big reason why. Spencer carried the ball 26 times, gaining 137 yards. He scored a touchdown and also added a 19-yard pass reception. He has now rushed for at least 125 yards in his last nine games and scored a touchdown in his last six. For the season, Spencer has 1,757 rushing yards, which is fifth most in the state and second most at the…

Nov

16

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Kael Jahn

Sportsathlete of the week, Kael Jahn, Union Pines, Union Pines football, Union Pines soccer

Union Pines two-sport athlete Kael Jahn is Athlete of the Week. Plenty of athletes around the state are able to compete in two — or more — high school sports. Not many do so simultaneously, however. Jahn spent the fall playing goalkeeper for the Vikings boys’ soccer team while also kicking for the football team. Things went pretty well doing double duty, too. Jahn finished second in the Sandhills Conference in goals against average and shared the Sandhills Goalkeeper of the Year award. He also ranked No. 15 in the 3A level in goals against. Meanwhile, in American football, he…

Nov

08

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athletes of the Week: Sandy Grove Middle School girls’ cross-country team

SportsSandy Grove Middle School, Sandy Grove Middle School cross-country, Sandy Grove Middle School girls' cross-country

Sandy Grove Middle School’s girls’ cross-county team are the Athletes of the Week. Sandy Grove Middle School competed in the co-ed middle school cross-country championships at Hinson Lake last week, and both teams had strong performances. The girls’ team brought home the conference championship, the third straight years that they’ve won the title. The boys’ team finished in fifth place in their conference meet.

Nov

08

2024

By North State Journal staff

Athlete of the Week: Kaitlyn Kruczek

SportsKaitlyn Kruczek, Pinecrest girls' golf, Pinecrest golf, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots

Pinecrest girls’ golf’s Kaitlyn Kruczek is Athlete of the Week. Kruczek helped lead the Patriots to a third straight NCHSAA class 4A championship. Kruczek tied for first place after shooting a first-round 70 and finished with a 146, good for a fourth-place tie, along with teammate Ashley Lee (our athlete of the week two weeks ago). Kruczek improved by one stroke and moved up two spots from last year when she shot 147 for a sixth-place tie at states. The year before, she shot 172, tying for 38th.

Oct

27

2024

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Ashely Lee

SportsAshley Lee, Pinecrest girls' golf, Pinecrest golf, Pinecrest High school, Pinecrest Patriots

Pinecrest golf freshman Ashley Lee is Athlete of the Week. The reigning 2023 Tarheel Youth Golf Association Middle School State champion made a splash in her debut in high school golf. In her first season with Pinecrest, Lee led the Sandhills Conference in scoring average and earned first-team SAC All‑Conference honors, joining five of her Patriots teammates on the All-Sandhills team. She also won the Conference Player of the Year award.