(January 21, 2021 Issue)

Sean Halloran led four players in double figures and Mario Lacy posted his first double-double as a Crusader, lifting Belmont Abbey to a 77-58 victory over Barton in Conference Carolinas men’s basketball action Friday night. Halloran posted a season-high of 21 points, while Lacy tallied 14 points and 13 rebounds, both season bests.
Quest Aldridge chipped in 12 points, while freshman Prince Davies added 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

How It Happened 
Halloran hit eight of 11 from the field with five three-pointers, while also making three steals and dishing our three assists.  Belmont Abbey trailed 14-8 in the first eight minutes, but posted a pair of 8-0 runs around a Bulldog free throw to lead by nine, 24-15, at the 3:26 mark. An 11-3 spurt over the final 3:06 of the period, pushed the margin to 15, 35-20, at the break. The Crusaders’ lead reach as high as 27 on two occasions near the middle of the second half, before Barton used a 11-0 run to climb to within 18. The Abbey shot 50.8 percent from the field, including 56.7 percent after intermission, while the Bulldogs could only rally to 43.6 percent shooting after a 30.8 percent opener. Belmont Abbey held a 42-25 advantage on the boards and had one fewer turnover. The Crusaders improve to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play, while the Bulldogs fall to 0-2, 0-2.

(January 21, 2021 Issue)

Alexis Schulz (#23) scored 16 points and the Belmont Abbey women’s basketball team earned a solid 83-65 victory over Barton this afternoon.  With the win, The Abbey improves to 5-2 on the year, with a 1-1 conference record.  Barton is now 2-1 on the season, with a 2-1 Conference Carolinas mark.

How It Happened 
The teams went back and forth early, until a 10-0 Abbey run put the Crusaders in front 21-14.  At one point during the stretch, the Crusaders scored seven points in less than a minute.  BAC led 23-18 when the period expired . A 4-0 run to open the second put the Crusaders up 27-18. Later in the quarter, the Crusaders defense held the Bulldogs to no field goals over a 4:19 span.  Four straight points by Hannah Roney to close out the quarter gave Belmont Abbey a 42-29 lead at halftime. Barton came to within five early in the third, but then a 9-0 Abbey run put the Crusaders in front 51-37.  Kelli Thomas scored four points during the run. Allie Downing scored five points in a 19-second span, and Belmont Abbey held a commanding 65-48 lead heading into the final period. A jumper by Schulz at the 7:37 mark put BAC up by 20.  She scored 12 of The Abbey’s 18 points in the quarter to help the Crusaders finish off the 83-65 victory. On the day, Downing’s 17 points led the Crusaders.  Schulz scored 16.  Brittany Autry, Maria Kuhlman, and Keyanna Spivey each scored 11.  Spivey also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

Brittany Autry scored 19 points and the Belmont Abbey women’s basketball team earned a 84-66 win at Bluefield State last week. With the win, The Abbey moves to 3-1 on the season.
How it Happened:
Belmont Abbey got off to a hot start and never looked back.  Autry scored four points in the opening minute, and the Crusaders jumped out to an early 9-0 lead.  The tough BAC defense did not give up a point in the first four minutes of the contest, and led 21-12 when the opening quarter expired.
In the opening minutes of the second, Belmont Abbey scored seven points in a minute to take a 28-20 lead. A 7-0 Abbey run late in the second put the Crusaders on top by nine, and The Abbey held a 42-31 lead at halftime. In the third, Autry again scored four points in the opening minute.  The rest of the quarter was back and forth.  The Crusaders led 63-51 heading into the final period. The fourth was also very back and forth, with neither team making any big runs.  The Crusaders finished with the 84-66 victory. On the day, Autry was the Crusaders’ leader, with 19 points and five rebounds. Allie Downing scored 13 and pulled down eight boards.  Alexis Schulz added 14 points.
Belmont Abbey story/photo

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

Junior Sean Halloran hit a three-pointer with 10.7 seconds to play, giving Belmont Abbey its only lead of the contest and a 68-67 victory over 22nd-ranked UNC Pembroke last week at the Wheeler Center. The contest was the season-opener for both teams. The shot from the left wing capped a rally that saw the Crusaders down 12-0 at the start of the game and by eight points with 5:16 to play.
How it happened
Charles Solomon, who assisted on the game-winner, led The Abbey with 13 points, five rebounds and one assist. Halloran tallied 12 points, with LJ McCoy also reaching double figures with 10 points. The Crusaders connected on 62.5 percent from the field in the second half to finish the contest at 51.1 percent. The Braves were limited to 33.3 percent after intermission and 42.2 percent overall. After falling behind 12-0 in the first five minutes and 18-4 at its biggest point, Belmont Abbey cut the margin to four, 26-22, at the 4:29 mark, but UNCP was able to stretch the lead back to double figures, 37-27 at the break. The Braves’ lead was still in double figures at 56-46 with 8:30 remaining, before the first Crusader charge. Seven straight points cut the gap to four, 58-54 with 5:43 remaining. UNCP scored four straight but The Abbey again closed to two, 62-60 with 4:14 to play. Solomon hit a pair of free throws with 2:04 for the final points before Halloran’s three. Each team missed a pair of free throws in the final 55 seconds that could have altered the outcome. Both team had an uncharacteristic number of turnovers (22 for the Crusaders and 21 for the Braves), while UNCP held a slim 25-24 rebounding edge. Tyrell Kirk led all scorers with 23 points.

(January 14, 2021 Issue)

South Point senior, Asheton Queen, has signed a national letter of intent to play softball at Gardner Webb University.  Seated from the left are: Barry Queen, Asheton’s grandfather; Kellie Queen, Asheton’s mother; Asheton; and Judy Spicer, Asheton’s grandmother.  Standing from the left are: Blake Queen, Asheton’s brother; Craig Queen, Asheton’s father; Treymane Stephens, trainer-ADS and Grayson Queen, Asheton’s brother. 
 

Maria Kuhlman (pictured above) and Allie Downing each scored 15 points to lead the Belmont Abbey women’s basketball team to a 63-60 win over Division I opponent UNC Greensboro this evening to kick off its 2020-21 season.
BAC led early, and stayed within six points of UNCG the entire opening quarter. Kuhlman made a 3-point shot in the closing seconds of the first to pull The Abbey to within a point, 19-18, at the end of the quarter. The Crusaders took a 24-22 lead early in the second. Later in the half, the defense held the Spartans scoreless for a 4:35 span. Kuhlman made two 3-point shots late in the second to put the Crusaders up 38-34 at halftime. The teams traded leads throughout the third quarter, which was a defensive battle.  BAC held UNCG to a 5:45 span of no field goals near the end of the period. Jo Snow capped off the Crusader scoring in the period with two free throws, and the Spartans held a 52-49 lead heading into the final period. Two quick baskets by Brittany Autry early in the fourth put The Abbey in front 53-52. The Abbey’s defense was again strong in the fourth, giving up just two Spartan points in the first 8:50 of the quarter.  The Abbey won the contest 63-60. Kuhlman and Downing scored 15 points each, while Autry scored 12 and grabbed five rebounds. Keyanna Spivey grabbed seven rebounds, while freshman Shelby Darden pulled down six.
Belmont Abbey story/photo

Five Belmont Abbey women’s basketball players scored in double figures in their 89-72 victory over Wingate last week.  The win puts The Abbey at 2-0 on the year.  The Bulldogs dipped to 0-3. How It Happened - Maria Kuhlman made to early 3-pointers to put The Abbey up 8-0.  The Crusaders never lost the lead. Shelby Darden scored the last five Crusader points of the quarter, giving BAC a 22-13 advantage. In the second, the Crusaders again scored the first eight points of the quarter. Keyanna Spivey scored eight points in the quarter, and Belmont Abbey held a 51-32 lead at halftime. Brittany Autry (pictured) scored four in the third to lead the Crusaders, and BAC led 61-49 heading into the final period. The fourth was the highest-scoring quarter of the game.  Allie Downing scored four points in the opening minute. The Abbey led by as many as 20 in the period, and finished the contest with the 89-72 win. Autry recorded a double-double, with 10 points and 13 rebounds.  Spivey finished with 16 points and six boards, and Darden also had a strong performance, with seven points and eight rebounds.
Belmont Abbey story/photo

 (December 3, 2020 Issue)

Gaston College is taking steps to start a new intercollegiate sports program.
College President Dr. John Hauser laid out plans in a presentation to Gaston College Board of Trustees on Tuesday to launch a college sports program that will offer men’s baseball and basketball, women’s beach volleyball and softball, and Esports. Approximately, 96 athletes, 52 men and 44 women, would participate in the five initial athletic programs.
The Gaston College Board of Trustees enthusiastically voted unanimously for Dr. Hauser to take the necessary steps to contact the National Junior College Athletic Association to establish the new college sports program. With the Board of Trustee’s approval, Dr. Hauser and the College’s administration will need to submit a letter of intent with the NJCAA. Pending approval, a search for an athletic director would be one of the next steps.
Dr. Hauser told the Board, “Community colleges that offer sports regard the athletics program as an integral part of the educational experience.”
“Sports programs have proven to enhance and strengthen student life, diversity, student mental and physical health, and overall college unity. This is something we believe that our Gaston College students and the communities we serve in Gaston and Lincoln counties are looking forward to enjoy and support in many ways.”
Dr. Hauser added, “As we began the process to put this plan and presentation together, one of our former students provided me with tremendous help and moral support. Leonard Hamilton, the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Florida State University and a GC Alum, has graciously provided me with professional insight and advice regarding this new venture that will reignite sports at the College.”
Coach Hamilton, who was born and raised in Gastonia, played basketball for Gaston College back in the early 70s when the College had sports teams. Since then, he has won many awards and accolades including being named the 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year.
 He plans to keep supporting President Hauser and Trustees with the new sports program and is looking forward to seeing sports back at the College.
“As a first-generation college student, I struggled, but having my teammates, college activities to attend, and a social environment at Gaston College helped sustain me to go on to a four-year university and to complete a master’s degree. I then encouraged others to do the same – those who would have never dreamed they, too, could do it. Kids today are the same as I was then, just looking for an opportunity,” said Hamilton.
Once the NJCAA program membership is approved, Gaston College will join Region 10 which includes North Carolina, South Carolina, and Southwest Virginia. The cost to support the five sports is estimated to be $321,448.
The Gaston College Foundation will work to secure intercollegiate athletic scholarships, engage in community fund raising and events, and work hand-in-hand with the student athletes with community engagement events and activities. President Hauser shared a variety of ideas for revenue generation to support athletics beyond student activity fees, bookstore revenues, and excess fees. This is standard practice for intercollegiate athletic programs at North Carolina Community Colleges.
Future plans include engaging faculty, staff and students regarding sports, including potential names for a mascot.

(December 3, 2020 Issue)

The Belmont Abbey Acrobatics and Tumbling team held their intra-squad meet last Wednesday night inside the Wheeler Center. The Crusaders, led by head coach Emily Powers, split into two teams, Black and White, and competed in all the heats in a typical meet. The two teams combined to perform the team event. The guest judges handed out scores throughout the meet with the White Team earning the victory by 0.05.
Belmont Abbey photo
 

(November 12, 2020 Issue)

Give a shout-out to Stuart W. Cramer High School student Jacob Wootton. Jacob is a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program, giving Gaston County Schools four high school seniors who will compete against other students from across the country to win a prestigious National Merit Scholarship. Jacob transferred to Gaston County Schools recently, and is at Stuart W. Cramer where  the teachers and counselors there will do an excellent job of helping him navigate the National Merit competition. Gaston Schools’ other three semifinalists are Sydney Lester and Grace Nehring of South Point High School and Marshall Pearson of Highland School of Technology.

(November 12, 2020 Issue)

The Belmont Abbey Black team blocked 15 Red attempts and Andrew Kohut tallied 13 kills, leading to a 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 19-25, 25-20) victory in an intrasquad scrimmage Saturday night at the Wheeler Center. The Halloween night action was the second of two fall sessions for the Crusaders. Kohut hit .152 (13-8-33) for the Black team, while the Red has a pair of players also tally 13 kills - freshmen Justin Kean and Matteo Miselli. William Morris and Kohut dominated the middle, with 14 and nine blocks, respectively. 13 of Morris’ were assists, while Kohut also had one solo with eight helpers. Clayton Zimmerman of the Red team was credited with 37 assists to Brennan Davis’ 26 for the Black. Jake Somers (Red) led all players with eight digs, while Davis had a match high three aces.                                      

Congratulations to Gaston Christian School runners who earned All-Conference honors this season. Adam Hoyle placed first overall in the conference meet earning his second All-Conference honor. Connor Nanney finished 3rd overall earning his 3rd all conference honor. (Tied for most in team history). Jake Sosebee placed 5th overall earning his 2nd All-Conference honor. Ryan Thornburg placed 6th overall earning his 3rd All-Conference honor. (Tied for most in team history). Garrett Huffman placed 8th overall earning his 1st All-Conference Honor. Thomas Bunko placed 9th overall earning his 2nd All-Conference honor. Kate Hoersch placed 9th overall earning her 1st All-Conference honor. 

Isabella Benavente (#3) scored three goals as the Belmont Abbey women’s soccer team earned a 4-3 victory over Spartanburg Methodist. How It Happened: SMC scored first, in the 15th minute, but Mackenzie Lewis evened the score just three minutes later. In the second half, Benavente scored three goals in a row, the first two coming in a 10-minute span. Spartanburg Methodist tried to come back, with two late goals, but it was not enough as the Crusaders held on 4-3. Goalkeepers Cieara Berg and Olivia Egbor saw their first game action of the Fall.
 

Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired in these COVID-19 times? The Gaston County Family YMCA invites all in the community to participate in a free six-week STRONG challenge sponsored by Atrium Health designed to help transform spirit, mind and body.
“Now, more than ever before we need to recharge and refocus,” said CEO Sharon Padgett. “The COVID-19 pandemic has worn us down. It’s isolated us in so many ways. This challenge provides an opportunity to get active and healthier by yourself or as a Strong family.”
Opt-in to the free challenge today. Once you’ve signed up on the YMCA website, they will send you regular motivation, challenges, workouts and more, so be sure to to stay connected. Everyone in the community is invited to participate in the STRONG Challenge. Y membership is not required.
All participants are invited to participate in free YMCA Zoom online classes, receive access to virtual fitness classes from your favorite instructor and participate in pop up classes and events.
Challenge details- The STRONG Challenge officially begins Monday, Oct. 19, and you can participate from anywhere. Registration is open now at gastonymca.org. This free six-week challenge is open to all. You’ll receive regular email messages outlining weekly challenges. The commitment is only 20 minutes a day. There are plenty of ways to participate outside the Y, including outdoor and virtual classes. Complete the challenge and earn a cool T-shirt.
“It’s the perfect time to take back our lives, reenergize, achieve goals, feel better and stronger,” added Padgett.

(October 8, 2020 Issue)

For three high schools in Gaston County Schools, their commitment to outstanding sportsmanship has resulted in a special recognition from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA).
Stuart W. Cramer High School, Forestview High School, and Highland School of Technology earned the “ejection free” school status for the 2019-2020 year.  The status indicates that no student-athlete or coach was ejected from a sport for the year.
“We are pleased to recognize the coaches and student-athletes for their positive attitude on the field and on the court,” said Gaston County Schools athletic director Chad Duncan.  “More important than winning is exhibiting good sportsmanship and good behavior.  This is what we want to see all of the time at our athletic events.”
Here’s a look at what our schools had to say about their “ejection free” status for 2019-2020: 
Stuart W. Cramer High School
Athletic director Mike Patton: “As an athletic director, it feels good when your athletes and coaches are competing at a high level and doing it with good sportsmanship.  We are proud of this recognition for Stuart W. Cramer.”
Forestview High School
Athletic director Alan Stewart:  “Our coaches set a good example and have high expectations for our student-athletes.  We have stressed sportsmanship with our coaches, and they have passed it down to their athletes.”
Highland School of Technology
Principal James Montgomery:  “We are proud of our student-athletes and coaches for being recognized as an ejection-free school.  We strive to demonstrate sportsmanship at all times, and this recognition validates the efforts of our coaches and players.”
Gaston County Schools has had at least one high school to be recognized as “ejection-free” each year since the NCHSAA began tracking coach and student conduct in 1997.
Schools across the state with no ejections for the 2019-2020 year received a certificate of recognition at the recent NCHSAA regional meetings.  Unsportsmanlike acts such as fighting, taunting, profanity, obscene gestures, or disrespectfully addressing or contacting officials are reasons for an ejection, according to the NCHSAA.

Congratulations to the Gaston Christian School Skeet Team, Holy Thunder, on a very successful inaugural season. Corrie Cloninger finished first overall top female shooter in the conference. Corrie also shot a perfect 25 straight in one match. Her sister Josie Cloninger, finished second highest female in the conference. The sisters are pictured with Steve Matolka Skeet Team Coach, NRA – NSSA Coach/Instructor.
Gaston Christian School photo
 

NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker issued the following statement last week regarding the amended 2020-2021 Sport Calendar.
“You all have been waiting patiently for a decision from the NCHSAA relative to an amended sport calendar for the 2020-2021 academic year. Please keep in mind that these proposed dates are dependent on COVID-19 conditions improving across NC. However, last night the Board of Directors approved a framework we believe maximizes the opportunities for students in our membership to participate in athletics at some point during this school year, regardless of what plan is a school and/or school system operates.
The NCHSAA Board approved an amended calendar for the 2020-2021 school year in a special called meeting for this purpose on Tuesday, August 11 via Zoom. This calendar represents the hard work of the NCHSAA Staff, Board of Directors and various committees such as the City/County Athletic Directors, Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and the Sports Ad Hoc Committee. There is still much work to be done on the details of implementing athletic programs and contests during this pandemic, but we thank these committees and individuals for their hard work to bring us to this point.
We recognize that this is a lot of information to digest and drastically different from the way the sport calendar has been aligned for years in North Carolina. However, as we mentioned many weeks ago, “We will play again.” In that mantra we believe, and it is in that spirit that we present this calendar. It is the belief of the Board of Directors and our staff that this calendar provides us the greatest chance of providing interscholastic athletic opportunities to the students of the NCHSAA for the 2020-2021 academic year. We believe that this is the best path forward to a safe return to the field.
Our decision-making process has been careful and calculated, as we work to ensure the health and safety of all student-athletes, coaches and administrators during this unprecedented time. There is still much work to be done in regard to playoff formats, COVID-19 related rules modifications for numerous sports, securing potential playoff facilities and providing the safest possible regular season opportunities for student athletes. We are committed to that work and will continue to lead and govern interscholastic athletic programs across this state that support and enrich the educational experience provided by our member schools in such a manner to maintain the standards of excellence that the NCHSAA has become known for.”

The Conference Carolinas Board of Directors unanimously approved a plan to proceed with intercollegiate competition in conference-sponsored sports in the upcoming fall semester. Intercollegiate competition may begin no earlier than Sept. 18, 2020.
Belmont Abbey College is a Conference Carolinas member.
The decision was made in the best interest of Conference Carolinas student-athletes, coaches and administrators. Conference Carolinas member institutions may begin practicing in their championship/non-championship segments on Sept. 1 or when mandated by NCAA policy, whichever is later.
“During this pandemic, we are working to keep the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff as our top priority,” Commissioner Chris Colvin said. “Our goal in Conference Carolinas is always to help our member institutions use intercollegiate athletics to achieve their overall mission. This decision by our Board of Directors, after careful consultation with our Directors of Athletics and local health officials, gives our member institutions time to focus on the resocialization process on each campus during the first few weeks of the semester and then move toward intercollegiate competition. We will continue to work on fine-tuning the safety protocols that will be implemented by all of our institutions.”
Conference Carolinas originally announced in May of 2020 that it would emphasize conference contests in the 2020-21 academic year and that it did not have any plans to reduce league contests in 2020-21. That plan is still in place.
Conference Carolinas institutions are continuing to work daily to create updated policies and procedures surrounding campus life, including intercollegiate athletics, that will allow students and student-athletes to return to campus as safe as possible. The conference is also continuing to work to create safety protocols and precautions around intercollegiate athletics participation.

Alumni Field, home to five Belmont Abbey sports programs, will be enhanced with a premier lighting system this summer, Vice-President and Director of Athletics Stephen Miss announced.

“The fruit of the vision, hard work, and generosity of tremendous donors and contributors, this $400,000 facility enhancement will benefit significantly the students who compete under the lights, the spectators who observe them doing so, and the entire Abbey community for years to come,” Miss said. “We are quite pleased to partner, once again, with Musco Lighting, the premier provider in the industry. The lighting system Musco installed at Abbey Yard was a game-changer for us, and we eagerly anticipate the new LED system at Alumni Field possibly having an even greater impact.”

The project includes Musco’s Light-Structure Green ™ lighting system with Total Light Control - TLC for LED and Green Generation Lighting ® Metal Halide technology on poles located near each corner of the field. The energy-efficient system provides 50% less spill and glare light than Musco’s prior industry-leading technology.

Fall sports schedules will be announced soon, but the lights will be installed and operational for the soccer and field hockey seasons. The lacrosse teams use the facility during the spring.



What They Are Saying About Alumni Field Lights

 John Keating, Head Men’s Soccer Coach: “Over the years, our soccer alumni have always asked if we ever planned to get lights. Many of their most vivid soccer memories from their playing days at The Abbey were of night games at away venues. To be able to create a great atmosphere and great memories at home, is going to add to the rich legacy of Belmont Abbey Soccer.”

Mike Lynch, Head Women’s Soccer Coach: “Lights on Alumni Field will enhance the student-athlete experience in so many ways from less missed class time, cooler temps to compete, and more fans able to attend. We are very excited!”

Meghan Smiga, Head Field Hockey Coach: “The lights allow student-athletes to minimize missed class and lab time and provide more opportunity for family and spectators to attend games on weekends and weekdays.”

Chris Barrett, Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach: “Adding lights to Alumni Field will just add to the student-athlete experience we offer here at the Abbey. It will allow us to get in full academic days on game days during the week, while also adding some excitement to the student body by providing them with more events to attend outside on beautiful Carolina nights!”

Molly Lehman-Lewis, Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach: “We are beyond excited to have the opportunity to compete under the lights. Alumni field has so much energy and this improvement will take that up a notch.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Local athlete 85-year-old David Hostetler, Sr., has been recognized by USA Track & Field for his outstanding accomplishments in a number of Masters Event sports.

The Masters Events are for folks aged 30 to 100+ years in age. Hostetler competes against other athletes of his own age locally and in other places such as Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Yadkinville, and Durham. Sports he competes in includes a variety of track and field events.

Hostetler learned of his rankings after receiving a copy of the April/May issue of National Masters News.


“In 2019 I practiced the games daily,” Hostetler said. “I was well coached by Terry Martin.”

In the Throws Pentathlon Performance category, Hostetler was ranked first in the USA, first in North America, and seventh in the world. The category includes javelin, hammer, #12 weight, discus, and shot put throws. First place equals who obtained the highest point average of five events. The record is not for one game or month but for the entire year.

Another event category that Hostetler took part in is the Super Weight Throw. This event uses a 25-pound steel ball with a triangular handle attached.

When Hostetler’s chance to beat hos own 2019 record came, he gave it all he had.

“I used a centrifugal type throw,” Hostetler said. “My toes and knees felt like they went into the concrete throwing pad. I obtained an excellent lift with my body and my hands went high over my head. That ball went like no other I had ever thrown.”

The throw was a record setter and placed Hostetler number one in the 85-year-old bracket for the USA, North America, and the world.

Hostetler is also ranked in the 50 meter dash, long jump, and high jump categories.

No matter where he goes, Hostetler shows his Gaston County pride.

“I practice on most of the fields in Gaston County,” said Hostetler. “I wear my Gaston County, North Carolina t-shirts to all local, state, and national events. Win or lose, I love to meet athletes  and people, play games, and show the colors of my county. The coronavirus has no effect on me walking, on jogging, and staying in shape outdoors.”