Sports – Moore County Edition

Feb

09

2022

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By Moore County Staff

Vikings grapplers come up short in state title match

Sports

Union Pines captain, senior Aiden McCafferty wrestles against Fred T. Foard’s Zane Birtchet in the 170-pound weight class during the 3A State Dual Team championship wrestling match on Saturday, February 5 at Greensboro Coliseum. McCafferty defeated Birtchet by pinfall. Foard won the overall match 58-12 sending the Vikings home as state runner-up. (DAVID SINCLAIR/For the North State Journal) GREENSBORO — A battle of top seeds in the state 3A dual team wrestling championships ended with the defending state champion claiming another title. The Union Pines Vikings faced the Fred T. Foard Tigers from Newton in the state championship at Greensboro…

Feb

03

2022

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By Moore County Staff

Union Pines advances to state wrestling championship

SportsPinecrest, state tournament, Union Pines, wrestling

PINEHURST — After capturing their 15th straight conference championship in varsity wrestling last week. The Union Pines Vikings set their sights on another trophy as the state dual team tournament started this week. After all three Moore County schools reached the state tournament, the Vikings are the only remaining team after they advanced to the 3-A state championship match with a win over Orange Wednesday night. Union Pines was the host team and #1 seed. Union Pines reached the championship with first and second round wins over Harnett Central and Westover. The top-seeded Vikings continued to host Wednesday and defeated…

Feb

01

2022

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By Moore County Staff

All three county teams make state wrestling tournament

Sports

PINEHURST — The Union Pines Vikings captured their 15th straight conference championship in varsity wrestling last week. The Vikings topped the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament with 224 points. Pinecrest was second with 203.5 points. Following the conference tournaments, all three county schools advanced to the state tournament. North Moore bowed out after a first-round loss to Albemarle in the 1A tournament. Pinecrest, a regional host and #1 seed, advanced to the third round with wins over East Chapel Hill and Wakefield and will host New Bern in the third round of the 4A tournament on Wednesday. Union Pines, also a…

Jan

26

2022

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By Brett Friedlander

Pinecrest hires football coach with winning track record

Sportsfootball, Nick Eddins, Pinecrest, sports

SOUTHERN PINES — In addition to his duties as athletic director, Jeff Hewitt is also the baseball coach at Pinecrest High School. As such, he knows a heavy hitter when he sees one. That’s why he was drawn to Nick Eddins as he conducted his search to fill the Patriots’ vacant football coaching position. “We had five unbelievable candidates that we interviewed, but it quickly became known to us that Nick was the guy,” Hewitt said. “I knew we’d hit a home run with hiring and getting him. I knew it was a grand slam. In my opinion, we got…

Jan

26

2022

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By John Wawrow, The Associated Press

Bills add ‘13 Seconds’ to history of heartbreaking losses

SportsBills, NFL

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — After “Wide Right” and “Music City Miracle,” the Buffalo Bills begin the offseason adding a new entry into their history of playoff heartbreak: “13 Seconds.” That’s how much time separated the Bills from securing the next step in their Super Bowl aspirations. Instead came a stunning 42-36 overtime loss at Kansas City in a divisional playoff game on Sunday. While some on Buffalo’s sideline were spotted laughing after Josh Allen completed his fourth touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis — an NFL playoff record — to go ahead 36-33 with 13 seconds remaining, the quarterback sat in…

Jan

25

2022

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By Moore County Staff

Annika Sorenstam contemplating a return to US Women’s Open

News, SportsPGA, Pine Needles, Pinehurst, Southern Pines, US Open, USGA

Annika Sorenstam, of Sweden, acknowledges the crowd after putting on the 18th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions LPGA golf tournament, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack) NEW YORK — After 13 years in retirement, Annika Sorenstam returned to competition last year. She made the cut in the Gainbridge LPGA, playing only because it was her home course of Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida. And then she won the U.S. Senior Women’s Open. That victory earned her a spot in the U.S. Women’s Open this year, which is being played at…

Jan

25

2022

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By Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press

Young players highlight first USWNT camp of 2022

Sportssoccer

The next wave of U.S. soccer talent includes several players who are under 22 The new year has brought new faces to the U.S. women’s national team. The back-to-back World Cup champions opened their January camp in Austin, Texas, with 14 players who have fewer than 12 appearances for the United States. Coach Vlatko Andonovski is taking a look at the team’s next generation as it begins preparations for qualifying this summer for the 2023 tournament. Among them is Ashley Hatch, a 26-year-old forward who plays for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League and who won the…

Jan

25

2022

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By Ronald Blum, The Associated Press

MLB negotiators meet in person for 1st time since Dec. 1

Sportsbaseball, MLB

Spring training is scheduled to start Feb. 16, but only if a new deal can be agreed upon NEW YORK — Negotiators for locked-out baseball players and management met in person Monday for the first time since Dec. 1, the day before the start of the sport’s first work stoppage since 1995. Veteran reliever Andrew Miller was the only player to attend the bargaining session. Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort, the chairman of baseball’s labor policy committee, was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem and executives Morgan Sword and Patrick Houlihan. The players’ association planned to make a counteroffer to…

Jan

25

2022

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By Steve Reed, The Associated Press

Dale Jr. joins father in NASCAR Hall of Fame

News, SportsDale Earnhardt, NASCAR

CHARLOTTE — Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted NASCAR’s most popular driver a record 15 times. On Friday night, he was inducted into NASCAR’s 12th Hall of Fame class along with late-model driver Red Farmer and the late Mike Stefanik, a decorated modified driver who died in a plane crash in 2019. Ralph Seagraves was named as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. The group was selected in 2020, but the induction ceremony was postponed more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The younger Earnhardt joins his late father, seven-time Cup Series champion Dale…

Jan

21

2022

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By North State Journal Staff

Eddins is new Pinecrest football coach

Sports

SOUTHERN PINES — Nick Eddins, a native of Anson County, was named the new head football coach at Pinecrest High School last week. Eddins was previously the head coach of the Crest High School Chargers in Cleveland County. While at Crest, Eddins compiled a 43-15 record while guiding the Chargers to the state 3A playoffs each of his five years at the helm. He was named Big South 3A coach of the year in 2021 after Crest won the conference championship and advanced to the fourth round of the 3A playoffs.