Sports – Moore County Edition

Apr

03

2024

Slow week as weather, spring break limit games

SportsMoore County sports

Weather and spring breaks for districts around the state played havoc with many of the spring sports schedules last week. Here’s a look at how local teams did in the games that they managed to get in. Baseball North Moore played the road end of a scheduled home-and-home series with Bartlett-Yancey, dropping an 8-4 decision in their only game of the week. The Mustangs are now 8-2 on the year, 5-2 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. They’re back at it this week with games against Lee County, Dunkirk and Seaforth, all at home. Pinecrest was able to complete a busy schedule…

Apr

03

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Scramble to the bag

SportsMoore County sports

Pinecrest senior Dylan Floyd scrambles to second base to force a Lee County runner in a bizarre play that saw a sharply hit ball ricochet off the third base bag directly to Floyd at short. He got the force out and the Patriots went on to beat the Yellow Jackets 3-2 at home on March 26.

Apr

03

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Patriotic Patriots

SportsMoore County sports

Pinecrest softball players Maggie Drake (left) and Addisyn Stayskal stand during the National Anthem before a game against Hoke County on March 20. The Patriots lost at home 15-3, though it did snap Pinecrest’s four-game scoreless streak.

Apr

03

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Athlete of the Week: Grace Queen

Sportsathlete of the week

Grace Queen is a junior striker and midfielder for the Union Pines girls’ soccer team. The Vikings won both games last week, and Queen had a couple of huge games. Against Scotland, she scored four goals in five shots to lead a 12-0 shutout. Against Terry Sanford, she added another two goals, as well as an assist, in a 8-0 win. Queen is now second on the team in goals and leads in shots.

Apr

03

2024

By North State Journal Staff

County baseball teams all enjoy winning streaks

SportsMoore County sports

Baseball All three teams in the county entered this week on winning streaks. North Moore swept a home-and-home series with Jordan-Matthews to extend its winning streak to seven games in a row. The Mustangs won at home, 9-7, over the Jets, then went to Jordan-Matthews to post a 3-1 victory. North Moore is now 8-1 on the year, 5-1 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. The Mustangs continue conference play this week with a home-and-home against Bartlett-Yancey. Pinecrest bounced back from its first two losses of the season to sweep Southern Lee in a home-and-home series. The Patriots won 16-4 at home,…

Mar

21

2024

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Nicole Norman

Sportsathlete of the week

Nicole Norman is a senior catcher and outfielder for the Union Pines softball team. The Vikings are 5-1 on the year and went 1-1 last week. Norman, who will be playing in college at Barton next season, leads Union Pines in batting, on-base percentage, slugging and hits. She’s tied for the lead in homers and doubles and is second on the Vikings in RBIs. Last week, she went 2-for-3 with a run, 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in a win over Richmond.

Mar

20

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Pinecrest baseball, Union Pines girls’ lacrosse remain unbeaten

SportsMoore sports

Baseball Pinecrest ran its perfect record to start the season to 5-0 before dropping two games to finish the week. The Patriots are now 5-2, 1-1 in the Sandhills Conference. Pinecrest shut out Richmond on the road, 5-0, in its Sandhills opener. The Patriots came back from a trip to Harnett Central with their first loss of the season, however, falling 6-1. A home rematch with Richmond gave Pinecrest its first Sandhills loss, 5-1. North Moore had a big week, winning all three games to stretch its winning streak to five. The Mustangs are now 6-1 on the season, 3-1…

Mar

13

2024

By North State Journal Staff

Moore County schools have successful week in spring sports

SportsMoore County, spring sports

Most of the spring high school teams continued promising starts to the season in a busy week outdoors across the county. Baseball Pinecrest is off to a perfect start this season, going 4-0. The Patriots swept all three games this past week, beating Terry Sanford, 13-1. Two days later, Pinecrest topped Oak Grove, 12-4, and they finished the week with a dramatic walk-off, 4-1 win over Myers Park. Bryant Kimbrell was the hero, with a three-run homer to end it. He also pitched the final four outs of the game to get the win on the mound. North Moore won…

Mar

13

2024

By North State Journal Staff

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Bryant Kimbrell

Sports

Bryant Kimbrell is a senior two-way player on the Pinecrest baseball team. The Patriots are a perfect 4-0 on the season and had three wins last week: 13-1 over Terry Sanford, 12-4 over Oak Grove, and 4-1 over Myers Park. Kimbrell hit, scored and drove in runs in all three games, going a combined 5-for-9 for the week, with 4 runs scored and 8 driven in. He also stole two bases. Against Myers Park, he hit a walk-off, three-run home run to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh, giving Pinecrest the victory. He also earned the…

Mar

06

2024

By Lauren Rose

County high schools flip the calendar to spring

Sports

Basketball season came to an end as the four teams representing the county all dropped their NCHSAA opening games. That turns the focus of Moore County to spring sports. Boys’ Basketball Union Pines and Pinecrest both lost their NCHSAA playoff openers, ending boys’ basketball season in Moore County for the 2023-24 season. Union Pines entered as a 32-seed in class 3A, giving them top-seeded Swansboro. The Vikings lost, 99-77, ending their season at 10-15. Senior Trent Hilburn scored 19 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the game. Junior Jaylen Kyle also scored 19, adding 6 rebounds…