Patriots – Moore County Edition

Feb

02

2026

Athlete of the Week: Wendell Wells V

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Pinecrest track and field junior Wendell Wells V is Athlete of the Week. Wells lit it up at the Mid-South 7A/8A Conference Championships. He competed in four events and won conference titles in three of them. He took the boys’ 55-meters with a personal record time of 6.44 seconds, a 0.11-second margin of victory. He then added a title in the boys’ 300 with a personal record time of 34.34, winning by 1.20 seconds. Next came a relay title as he anchored the team that won the 4x200 with a time of 1:28.68, taking the title with a 0.84-second margin.…

Jan

25

2026

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Kennedy Moore

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Pinecrest girls’ basketball junior point guard Kennedy Moore is Athlete of the Week. In a game against Overhills last week, Moore scored a team-high 15 points, adding rebounds, three assists and four steals. Moore leads the Patriots in scoring, assists, steals, blocks and 3-point shooting accuracy.

Jan

19

2026

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Sam Creed

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Sam Creed is a senior offensive lineman on the Pinecrest football team. The Patriots had their season-ending football banquet, and Creed picked up two honors as he closes his high school football career. He was given the Hard Hat Award, along with teammates Brady Clemons, Carson Burch and Carter Jackson, in honor of his work ethic. He was also one of three seniors to win the Senior Academic Award, along with Rollins Rodriguez and Cole Harrison.

Nov

16

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Chris Najm

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Pinecrest football senior running back Chris Najm is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots’ season ended with a first-round loss in the NCHSAA playoffs, but Najm went out on his shield. He ran for 148 yards on 22 carries, a 6.7 yards per carry average. Najm scored two touchdowns. Najm ended a season in which he was the state’s 11th-leading rusher and seventh leading scorer. He led class 8A in both categories, as well as touchdowns scored.

Sep

14

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Lawson Barrett

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Pinecrest volleyball junior setter and right-side hitter Lawson Barrett is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots beat Western Harnett and Purnell Swett last week to even their record at 4-4. Barrett had eight service aces, six digs and 17 assists against Western Harnett and three, eight and 13 against Swett. For the season, Barrett leads Pinecrest in aces and assists, and she is fifth in N.C. Class 8A in aces.

Sep

08

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Zaiden Pratt

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Pinecrest junior defensive back Zaiden Pratt is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots won the annual Battle of the Pines over crosstown rival Union Pines, but not until Pratt saved the day. The Vikings trailed by five and were driving for a possible game-winning touchdown when Pratt picked off an Ian Hicks pass with less than 30 seconds remaining to preserve the win.

Aug

10

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Sam Creed

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Pinecrest football rising senior Sam Creed is Athlete of the Week. As a long snapper, Creed often goes under the radar, unless something goes wrong. However, he’s been a star on the summer football camp circuit. His speed and accuracy won him camp long snapper competitions at Duke, Western Carolina, Vanderbilt, Elon and ECU. He also made the finals in competitions at Clemson and Auburn. Creed will follow former Pinecrest punter Jeff Yurk to Elon after committing to the Phoenix last week.

Aug

03

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Ashley Lee

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Pinecrest girls’ golf rising sophomore Ashley Lee is Athlete of the Week. In addition to being a part of the defending state champions on the links, she also plays softball for the Patriots. In July, the Pinecrest girls finished third in the National High School Golf Invitational, which the school hosted. Lee tied for third place overall, two strokes off the tournament lead. She shot a first-round 72, a second-round 67 and finished with a 68 on the final day.

May

05

2025

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Mitch Baek

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Pinecrest baseball senior Mitch Baek is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots head into the postseason on a four-game winning streak, including going 3-0 last week. Baek had hits and was responsible for runs in all three contests last week. Against Union Pines at home, he homered, walked, drove in two runs and scored one in a 1-for-2 day. In the game at Union Pines, he went 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Against Central Davidson, Baek went 1 for 2 with two RBIs. For the year, he is second on the team in batting, homers,…

Oct

18

2024

By Cory Lavalette

Athlete of the Week: Hailey Gibbons

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Pinecrest volleyball senior Hailey Gibbons is Athlete of the Week. The Patriots finished a perfect 12-0 conference season with wins over Hoke County and Union Pines. In the senior night win over Hoke, Gibbons led Pinecrest with 11 digs and 15 receptions, adding four service aces and an assist. In the regular season finale against Union Pines, Gibbons had 18 digs, 11 receptions, three assists and an ace. For the season, Gibbons leads the team in aces per set and is third in digs, receptions and total aces.