N.C. Preps statewide basketball polls

1A BOYS
1. East Surry (8) 11-0 – 129
2. Cherryville (3) 11-2 – 116
3. Princeton (3) 13-0 – 111
4. Murphy 7-1 – 72
5. Riverside-Martin 11-3 – 48
6. North Edgecombe 6-1 – 45
7. Rocky Mount Prep 10-5 – 40
8. North Rowan 9-3 – 37
9. Lejeune 11-3 – 36
10. Hendersonville 7-3 – 34
HONORABLE MENTION: Camden (110-2) – 31; Perquimans (9-3) – 26; Pender (6-4) – 13; Rosewood (7-2) – 10; Albemarle (4-1) – 6; Plymouth (6-3) – 5; North Wilkes (8-5) – 4; Highland Tech (10-3) – 4; Monroe (6-4) – 3;
2A BOYS
1. Smoky Mountain (7) 12-0 – 109
2. West Caldwell (2) 11-1 – 108
3. Cummings 10-1 – 82
4. East Rutherford (1) 9-0 – 69
5. Jordan-Matthews 10-1 – 62
6. Kinston (2) 7-3 – 53
6. Fairmont (2) 8-0 – 53
8. Berry 10-2 – 50
9. Clinton 10-2 – 36
10. HP Andrews 9-2 – 33
HONORABLE MENTION: Beddingfield (10-2) – 20; Northwood (10-2) – 19; Whiteville (9-1) – 14; Mountain Heritage (8-4) – 13; Northeastern (8-3) – 10; West Stokes (11-5) – 9; West Bladen (11-3) – 8; Reidsville (9-4) – 7; Northside-Jax (8-2) – 5; Richlands (9-1) – 4; North Pitt (7-1) – 3; Bertie (9-4) – 2; East Burke (10-4) – 2;
3A BOYS
1. Concord (5) 13-1 – 117
2. Erwin (5) 13-0 – 110
3. Huss (1) 13-2 – 91
4. North Buncombe (1) 13-1 – 76
5. Weddington (2) 15-1 – 71
6. Burns 10-2 – 56
7. Westover 12-2 – 55
8. NE Guilford 11-3 – 44
9. Rocky Mount 11-4 – 33
10. Southern Lee 11-3 – 30
HONORABLE MENTION: Hickory (11-2) – 21; Waddell (12-5) – 19; Southern Wayne (9-2) – 12; Forestview (8-1) – 11; Chapel Hill (8-2) – 10; Ashbrook (10-3) – 7; Parkwood (7-2) – 7; Northern Guilford (N/A) – 5; Triton (9-2) – 2; Freedom (7-3) – 2;
4A BOYS
1. Reagan (7) 13-0 – 126
2. West Charlotte (4) 11-1 – 104
3. Garner (1) 11-0 – 84
3. Mount Tabor 14-1 – 84
5. Middle Creek 14-1– 76
6. Olympic 15-1 – 74
7. Terry Sanford 12-2 – 66
8. Laney 12-1 – 60
9. Wakefield 12-1 – 34
10. Dudley 8-4 – 25
HONORABLE MENTION: North Meck (13-2) – 13; Hoggard (10-3) – 11; Richmond County (9-1) – 10; New Hanover (9-3) – 8; Pine Forest (13-3) – 4; Millbrook (8-7) – 1;

1A GIRLS
1. Mount Airy (5) 15-1 – 127
2. River Mill (5) 19-1 – 120
3. Bishop McGuinness (4) 11-5 – 103
4. East Wilkes 11-2 – 83
5. SW Onslow 10-2 – 73
6. Cherokee 7-1 – 55
7. Southside 6-1 – 50
8. Chatham Central 7-2 – 37
9. Murphy 6-2 – 36
10. Jones Senior 7-2 – 23
HONORABLE MENTION: Goldsboro (8-3) – 15; Avery (8-5) – 13; Robbinsville (6-4) – 9; Lakewood (9-4)  – 8; Mitchell (N/A) – 6; Highland Tech (9-1) – 5; East Surry (N/A) – 4; North Stokes (8-5) – 3;
2A GIRLS
1. Salisbury (8) 9-1 – 107
2. Shelby (2) 12-0 – 105
3. North Surry 11-0 – 102
4. East Bladen (3) 15-1 – 97
5. Newton-Conover 10-1 – 54
6. Bunn 8-0 – 53
7. Granville Central 13-1 – 42
8. Berry 11-1 – 38
9. Northside-Jax 11-1 – 33
10. Thomasville 11-1 – 32
HONORABLE MENTION: - Ashe (11-1) – 29; Bandys (10-2) – 23; Graham (8-1) – 13; Bertie (10-2) – 11; Jordan-Matthews (10-1) – 7; Clinton (11-2) – 7; Wilkes Central (11-3) – 6; Reidsville (9-2) – 3; North Stanly (10-3) – 3; East Davidson (10-3) – 2; Graham (9-1) – 1; Central Davidson (9-2) – 1:
3A GIRLS
1. North Iredell (6) 11-1 – 122
2. Asheboro (3) 13-1 – 100
3. Parkwood (1) 12-1 – 86
4. South Central (1) 9-3 – 74
5. Forestview (2) 10-3 – 68
6. South Point 13-1 – 63
7. Erwin 11-2 – 51
8. Rocky Mount 13-2 – 40
9. Williams 9-1 – 30
10. Eastern Guilford 11-2 – 30
HONORABLE MENTION: - Union Pines (13-2) – 26; Hickory (11-2) – 26; Freedom (12-4) – 18; RS Central (10-4) – 14; Harding (10-4) – 9; Ledford (10-3) – 3; Northern Guilford (8-3) – 2; West Carteret (10-2) – 2; Marvin Ridge (9-4) – 1; Tuscola (8-4) – 1; JM Robinson (10-3) – 1;
4A GIRLS
1. Butler (14) 13-0 – 140
2. Green Hope 13-1 – 103
3. South View 14-0 – 102
4. Dudley 12-1 – 85
5. South Caldwell 9-0 – 60
6. Millbrook 14-1 – 60
7. T.C. Roberson 10-1 – 46
8. Hopewell 11-2 – 28
9. Riverside 11-1 – 27
10. Mount Tabor 11-2 – 22
HONORABLE MENTION: - SW Guilford (12-1) – 21; SE Raleigh (9-2) – 21; HP Central (9-2) – 12; Porter Ridge (9-1) – 10; Clayton (9-3) – 7; Ashley (11-2) – 5; Mallard Creek (12-3) – 5; Northern Durham (7-1) – 4; E.E. Smith (11-3) – 4; West Meck (11-2) – 4; Hoggard (9-3) – 2; Hillside (9-4) – 2;

Watauga's Darby Middlebrook named Gatorade N.C. Cross Country athlete of the eyar

In its 26th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Darby Middlebrook of Watauga High School as its 2010-11 Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Middlebrook is the first Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Watauga High School. 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Middlebrook as North Carolina’s best high school girls cross country runner. 

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Middlebrook joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-7 sophomore raced to the Class 4A individual state championship this past season with a course-record time of 17:49.70, leading the Pioneers to second place as a team. A DyeStat Cross Country Top 25 series Honorable Mention selection, Middlebrook placed 13th at the Foot Locker South Regional championships in 17:48. Middlebrook captured first place at the High Country Classic, the Northwestern 3A/4A Conference Championships and the Class 4A West Regional.

Middlebrook has maintained a 4.36 weighted GPA in the classroom. In addition to donating her time as a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, she has volunteered on behalf of the Watuaga Women’s Fund to benefit area women in need.

“I have never seen a runner get the confidence she did so quickly,” said Watauga head coach Randy McDonough. “She likes to sit back for the first part of the race, and then take off. She doesn’t go out slow, but she doesn’t lead. Once she gets the lead, she is not giving it back.”

Middlebrook will begin her junior year of high school this fall.

Middlebrook joins Gatorade North Carolina Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year Adrianne Soo (2009-10, 2008-09 & 2007-08, Durham Academy) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
-- Gatorade Media Release

CMS athletic events postponed, new dates coming

With school out for today's heavy snow, tonight's basketball games, per CMS policy, will also be postponed. Those games will be rescheduled, along with scheduled wrestling and swimming events.

Friday's Harding at West Meck boys basketball game, which was stopped by a fight just after the game began, will also be rescheduled.

CMS teams were off after tonight until Friday due to exams scheduled to be held this week. The next regular playing date is Friday.

Here are Monday's basketball games to be rescheduled:

Butler @ South Meck
East Meck @ Providence
Myers Park @ Independence
Rocky River @ Ardrey Kell
Lake Norman @ Hough

Here are Friday's scheduled CMS games:
Providence @ Ardrey Kell
Independence @ Butler
South Meck @ East Meck
Myers Park @ Rocky River
Garinger @ Harding
East Gaston @ Waddell
North Meck @ Hopewell
Hough @ Mallard Creek
Vance @ West Charlotte
Cuthbertson @ Berry
West Meck @ Olympic

Butler's Kris Frost commits to Auburn; M. Creek's Williams enrolls at UNC

Butler High linebacker Kris Frost committed to Auburn Saturday during the US Army All American football game in San Antonio.

Rated the No. 39 player in the nation overall by rivals.com, Frost chose Auburn over Michigan and LSU.

Mallard Creek quarterback Marquise Williams honored his commitment to North Carolina and has enrolled this weekend, he told the Observer via text message Saturday night.

Williams, the Observer's offensive player of the year, led Mallard Creek to a 13-1 record and a N.C. 4AA quarterfinal appearance this season.

Accelerate helping to elevate area players' games

Last summer, I wrote about a trend I noticed had been growing: former pro athletes providing training to younger kids and teenage athletes in the area. You can click here to read that.

I think one of the reasons Mecklenburg County athletics have been exploding recently with a historic run of championships that is only going to grow, is this specialized training kids are getting from former athletes who know what they're talking about.

Former Florida Gator football star Tony George's Heat Fitness is a perfect example of this. I've seen kids go in looking one way, and performing one way, and come out totally different. And it's not just George. Former NBA players Jeff McInnis and Muggsy Bogues have trained some of the best players to come out of this area recently. They know what it takes and what you need to get to the next level.

Charlotte is chock full of training options as people have found ways to further monetize athletics. Trainers at Carolina Courts, Velocity Sports and Athletic Republic all do a wonderful job, I've seen and heard, with helping athletes of all ages improve.

After getting a torrent of emails lately about this topic, I decided to revisit one of the facilities: Accelerate Basketball in Indian Land. This place is devoted to basketball and owner/operator Brandon Payne, a former college basketball coach, has turned his love of basketball and his love of fitness into quite an impressive basketball factory.

He's got a roster of more than 100 kids of all ages regularly training and some of the area's top players frequently stop by, including former Charlotte Christian star Seth Curry, now at Duke. Payne's services have spread by word of mouth and YouTube video to as far away as California and London. A group of California teens plan to visit to work out over a spring break and a 20-year-old London player will also come in soon. Also Payne said he's had interest from out of state businessmen about franchising.

Why the interest? Winning the college scholarship has gotten awful competitive and parents are willing to try to get their kid every advantage. And Payne has a very unique way of developing basketball players using drills involving tennis balls and ropes and ladders and steps. He's become well versed in exercise physiology and brings in experts, like chiropractors and specialized fitness trainers, to help fill in the gaps.

Players sign up on a website for hour-long classes which are offered at fairly convenient hours, even for working folks, seven days a week. For a flat fee, you can take unlimited classes with a group, almost like a YMCA workout class, or you can register for one-on-one sessions or other specialized training regimens.

Accelerate also offers a "shooting gun," a contraption that passes balls towards you that you then shoot in the hoop. For a fee, you can use the gun and have your sessions videotaped, allowing Payne's team to coach you on form.


Accelerate also offers video services to tape players during games for coaching "film" sessions or to create those YouTube highlight videos that parents send to college coaches (or just post on YouTube to brag about their 9-year-old's dribbling ability).

I have visited almost all of the local facilities and I think we are lucky to have these kinds of options locally. I would always consult with my doctor if my young ones were starting this kind of training and to make sure it was offset with other kinds of physical activity and didn't include heavy weights before, say, teenager years. But I do think training makes a difference, and we've got some excellent options, like Accelerate, here.

Char. Christian at Hickory/Myers Park wrestling canceled

Due to approaching winter storms, tonight's Charlotte Christian at Hickory basketball games and Saturday's Sandiford Wrestling Invitational at Myers Park have been canceled.

No new date has been set for Christian at Hickory. The boys game matched two teams ranked in the top 10 of the Observer's Sweet 16 poll.

W. Charlotte moves to No. 1 in Observer's Sweet 16 poll

West Charlotte’s boys planned to play a Christmas Tournament this year, but the heavy snowstorm that hit the Carolinas Christmas Day forced the Lions to postpone a trip to the Maryland area.

So the Lions got an extended break. Still, West Charlotte resumes play tonight as the No. 1 team in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll. The Lions replace Olympic, which lost in a Christmas tournament on a jump shot at the buzzer. No. 3 is preseason No. 1 Charlotte Christian. And this week’s Sweet 16 is actually 17 teams. Salisbury and Cherryville tied for 16th.

In the girls poll, Butler is No. 1, one spot ahead of preseason No. 2 Salisbury. Berry, the Bojangles’ Shootout champion, is No. 3.
Butler has a key game tonight at No. 11 Ardrey Kell.


Boys Sweet 16
Rank, School, Record, Class
1. W. Charlotte, 9-1, 4A
2. Olympic, 13-1, 4A
3. Charlotte Christian, 12-2, IND
4. Concord, 3A, 10-1
5. Gastonia Huss, 10-2, 3A
6. Hickory, 10-2, 3A
7. Hickory St. Stephens, 3A, 10-2
8. Fort Mill, 3A, 11-1
9. N. Mecklenburg, 4A, 12-2
10. Vance, 4A, 7-3
11. Waddell, 3A, 6-1
12. Morganton Freedom, 3A, 9-2
13. East Rutherford, 2A, 8-0
14. Lawndale Burns, 3A, 10-1
15. Weddington, 3A, 13-1
16T. Cherryville, 1A, 9-2
16T. Salisbury, 2A, 6-3
Girls Sweet 16
1. Butler, 12-0, 4A
2. Salisbury, 7-1, 2A
3. Berry, 9-1, 2A
4. Mallard Creek, 10-3, 4A
5. Hopewell, 4A, 10-1
6. South Caldwell, 4A, 9-0
7. Providence Day, IND, 8-4
8. Belmont South Point, 3A, 12-0
9. Shelby, 2A, 10-0
10. N. Iredell, 3A, 10-1
11. Ardrey Kell, 4A, 10-2
12. Charlotte Christian, IND, 11-1
13. Newton-Conover, 2A, 8-1
14. W. Mecklenburg, 4A, 9-1
15. Monroe Parkwood, 3A, 10-1
16. R-S Central, 2A, 9-3