Blog – Moore County Edition

Dec

01

2024

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.

Nov

06

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Republican Ben Moss wins reelection for NC House’s 52nd District seat

News2024 election, Ben Moss, Jimmy Self, Moore County, NCGA

RALEIGH — Incumbent Republican Rep. Ben T. Moss, Jr. has won reelection over Democratic challenger Jimmy Self for the Moore County House District 52 seat. While results are still unofficial, Moss has taken in 61.08% of the vote to Self's 38.92% Moss has served two terms in the North Carolina House and now heads into a third term in January 2025. He represented District 66 from 2020-2022 before redistricting in 2023. Moss ran unopposed in the 2022 general election, but defeated incumbent Republican Jamie Boles in the primary by a thin margin: 3,688 votes to 3,226. He now represents all of…

Nov

06

2024

By North State Journal Staff

New faces dominate results for Board of Education, Commissioners

NewsMoore County Board of Commissioners, Moore County Board of Education

The Moore County citizens have spoken and there will be a little old and a little new in terms of a few local positions following the 2024 general election. On the Board of Commissioners, current board chair Nick Picerno, who ran unopposed, was reelected as the District II Commissioner. This is Picerno’s fourth term on the Board of Commissioners, having served two terms previously from 2008 to 2016 and then again from 2022 to today. There will however be a new face joining the board though as Tom Adams, who also ran unopposed, will be representing District IV as its…

Nov

05

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Republican Tom McInnis wins reelection for NC Senate’s 21st District seat

News2024 election, Maurice Holland Jr., Moore County, NCGA, Tom McInnis

RALEIGH — Republican Incumbent Senator Tom McInnis has defeated Democratic challenger Maurice (Butch) Holland, Jr. to secure reelection to Moore County's Senate District 21 seat. Results have yet to be finalized but voting data shows McInnis taking in 67% of the vote to Holland's 33% with 61% of precincts reporting. McInnis will advance to his sixth term in the North Carolina Senate in January 2025. McInnis has been an NC Senator since 2015 but was redistricted into the 21st district in 2023. In the 2022 general election, McInnis won a close race against Democrat Frank McNeill Jr, garnering 36,468 votes…

Nov

05

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Republican Neal Jackson wins reelection for NC House’s 78th District seat

News2024 election, lowell simon, Moore County, NCGA, randolph county, Rep. Neal Jackson

RALEIGH — Freshman Incumbent Republican Rep. Neal Jackson has defeated Democratic challenger Lowell Simon in the House District 78 race which covers portions of Moore and Randolph Counties. Results, while still unofficial, show Jackson taking in 71.63% of the vote to Simon's 28.37%. Jackson, a pastor, has served in the seat for one term having been first elected in 2022. Jackson originally took the seat in 2023 following the retirement of Allen McNeill who was District 78’s representative from 2012 to 2022. In that 2022 election, Jackson garnered 27,787 votes or 76.6% of the ballot, to defeat Democrat Erik Davis…

Nov

05

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Republican John Sauls wins reelection for NC House’s 51st District seat

News2024 election, ginger bauerband, john sauls, Moore County, NCGA

RALEIGH — Incumbent Republican Rep. John Sauls has defeated Democratic challenger Ginger Bauerband in the Moore County House District 51 race. Results are not final, however Sauls has garnered 64.37% of the vote compared to 35.63% for Bauerband. Sauls is in his sixth term in the North Carolina House and now heads into his seventh term in January 2025. The incumbent has been in his position since 2017 and will represent all of Lee County and the northeastern part of Moore County. In 2022, Sauls received 16,973 votes or 65% of the vote compared to Democrat Malcolm Hall’s 9,147 or…