The Belmont Abbey women’s basketball team got off to a quick start and led wire-to-wire in a 68-38 victory over Erskine in Conference Carolinas action last Monday at the Wheeler Center. It is the largest margin of victory this season for the Crusaders. It was the first home game for The Abbey in 2022 due to schedule changes. The Crusaders won its second straight contest and advanced to 7-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play. Erskine moved to 0-11 overall and 0-8 in the conference.
How It Happened- The Crusaders started the contest on a 14-2 run that included a run of thanks to a 14-2 run to begin the game. Brittany Autry provided the early boost with consecutive layups to begin the game. She finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and a blocked shot. The Abbey led 22-6 at the end of the first quarter and held the Flying Fleet to just two field goals in the period. Jo Snow connected on three 3-pointers in the first half as part of her 13 points for the game. Alexis Schulz (pictured) stepped up in the second half for the Crusaders by scoring 12 of her team-high 15 points in the period. She also added three assists, a pair of rebounds and a steal. The Abbey pulled away by outscoring the Flying Fleet 24-13 in the third quarter. Belmont Abbey held a strong 45-18 advantage in rebounding. Autry led the Crusaders in that category while Sydni Clawges added six rebounds in the win.

Four teams took to the court this winter to learn the basics of basketball. Volunteer coaches and players met Saturday mornings for fun drills and mini games. Players were taught how to transition from offense to defense, dribble, pass and shoot the ball. Here are scenes from the events.
For more info on how your child can participate through the Belmont Parks and Recreation sport programs, please reach the office at 704-825-8191.

By Charlotte Sautner
South Point High School announced its 2021 football awards on Monday, January 24th.
Tyson Riley – Dr. Wade Breeland Most Valuable Player – First given in 1948 at the old Belmont High School, this award is presented to the Most Valuable Player on the football team and is the school’s oldest award.  It is named in honor of the late Dr. Wade H. Breeland, a local dentist and long-time supporter of Belmont and South Point High School athletics.
Wyatt Triplett – Gerald Cortner Character, Leadership, and Scholarship Award – This award is given to a senior football player who excels on the field and in the classroom and who demonstrates outstanding character and leadership qualities.  This award is given in memory of Mr. Gerald Cortner, the first principal of South Point High School.  Mr. Cortner was a long-time teacher, football coach, and administrator at the old Belmont High School prior to overseeing the consolidation and transition of the Belmont, Reid, and Cramerton High Schools into South Point High School in 1969.
Cam Medlock – Wrather Johnson Sportsmanship Award – Awarded since 1967, the football Sportsmanship award recognizes the respect for and fair treatment of one’s teammates and opponents. It is given in memory of Coach Wrather Johnson who coached football, basketball, and baseball at the old Belmont High School. After being sponsored for many years by long-time Big Red Booster Club supporters Yates and Marie Abernathy, it is now sponsored by Dr. Patricia Goble.
Ryan Harris – Belmont Drug Best Defense – This award has been presented since 1967 to the best defender on the varsity football team.  First sponsored by the old Catawba Pharmacy in East Belmont, this award is now sponsored (since 2003) by  Matthew Morgan, owner of Belmont Drug Store.
Jacob Patterson – Dr. Eddie Lineberger Best Blocker – Awarded since 1964 to the best blocker on the football team, this award was originally named after long-time team physicians Dr. Sam Shaver and Dr. Lee Beatty. The award is now sponsored by local veterinarian, Dr. Eddie Lineberger who was the starting center on the 1979 State 3A Championship team.
Ethan Thagard – Gaston Auto Glass Unsung Hero Award – Awarded to a varsity football player, who may not be well known to others, but is known by the teammates and coaches as playing a significant role in the success of Red Raider teams. The award is inspired by the late Bobby Brown (Belmont High School Class of 1957 and football player) and is inscribed with the poem “Unsung Hero” written by Bobby Brown.
Jaquis Rumph – Bennie Cunningham Most Improved Award – Presented since 1984 to the most improved player on the football team.  It is given in memory of Cramerton and Gaston County legend Coach Bennie Cunningham.  The award is sponsored by Mr. Art Shoemaker in honor of his former coach who mentored and provided direction to hundreds of area youth as part of the Cramerton Recreation Department and the highly successful Little Orangemen Pop Warner football programs.
Xarique Culbreth – Phil Tate “First Things First” Award – This award was begun in 2017 and is presented to a varsity player who places the needs of the team ahead of his own.  It is named in honor of Hall of Fame Coach Phil Tate who taught and coached hundreds of student athletes for over 50 years in football, baseball, basketball and golf at South Point High School.
Shane Wilson – Coach’s Award – This award goes to a varsity player who embodies what it means to be a Red Raider, someone who plays with heart, puts the team first, and is tenacious.
Walter Kincaid – Lee’s Lawn Service Scout Defense Award – This award is given to a defensive varsity football player who, day in and day out, does an exceptional job preparing the starting unit for the upcoming opponent.  They receive little recognition, but their efforts are highlighted by the team’s overall success.
Jack Milford – Lee’s Law Service Scout Offense Award – This award is given to an offensive varsity football player who, day in and day out, does an exceptional job preparing the starting unit for the upcoming opponent.  They receive little recognition, but their efforts are highlighted by the team’s overall success.
Matthew Laney – Herman Gregory “Spirit of the Raider” Memorial Ward – Initiated in 2021, this award is presented to a football player who embodies the “Spirit of the Red Raider” through perseverance, courage, and commitment to our program and his teammates.  The award is sponsored by the Big Red Booster Club and named in memory of former football player #79 Herman Gregory who sadly passed away at a young age in 2021.  “Big Herm” loved South Point High School, and especially Red Raider football, and lettered for 3 years, culminating in playing on the 2016 3A State Championship team.
Will Ross – Sheila M. Rollins Memorial Most Versatile Award – Sponsored by Rollins Insurance Agency, this award has been presented to the most versatile player on the varsity football team.  It is given in memory of long-time Big Red Booster Club supporter, Mrs. Sheila Rollins.
Chaynce Ford – JV Most Valuable Player.
Other Recognition announced: Sullivan Absher and Jackson Blee – Academic All State; Sullivan Absher – NC Super Team; Tyson Riley – Queen City Bowl Selection; Ryan Harris – Luke Kuechly Defensive Player of the Year; Sullivan Absher, Tyson Riley, Jacob Patterson, Dylan Nicks, Will Ross – NC High School OT All State team; Will Ross, Jacob Patterson, Tyson Riley, Dylan Nicks, Sullivan Absher – NC All 3A State team; Tyson Riley, Jacob Patterson, Wyatt Triplett,  Sullivan Absher, Will Ross, Ryan Harris, Dylan Nicks – All Big South; and Dylan Nicks – Big South Kicker of the Year.

By Sean Corcoran
Gaston County Schools

Sometimes when people see Stuart W. Cramer High School students Zachary and Nicholas Willer, they do a double take.  The brothers are identical twins, and it’s not just their looks that are shared.  Their winning ways are, too.
In the 3A west regional and state cross country championships as well as most other running competitions, the brothers have been separated by mere seconds.  Zachary finished two and a half seconds ahead of Nicholas to win the state title, becoming Gaston County’s first boys state champion in 43 years.
Prior to the state contest, Zachary finished one second ahead of Nicholas at the western regional meet.  Earlier in the cross country season, it was Nicholas who earned first place in the Gaston County meet and the Big South 3A conference championship.
While there is a rivalry between some siblings, Zachary and Nicholas say they are not competing against each other, but rather they focus on the athletes on opposing teams.
“We support one another,” said Zachary. “We are cheering no matter who finishes ahead of the other.  If I see Nicholas doing well during a race, it motivates me that much more.”
The two brothers have a good relationship.  They played other sports such as soccer and swimming together before making running their primary focus.
“We started running laps in middle school soccer for conditioning,” said Nicholas. “Our coaches saw how well we ran and asked us to give middle school track a try, and the rest is history.”
With the cross country season complete, the Willer brothers can now concentrate their training on indoor and outdoor track and field.  Both of them compete in the 1600 meters, 3200 meters, and 4x800 relay events.
However, running is not their long-term goal. Both realize it would be great to be a professional distance runner, but they know a good education is what awaits them at East Carolina University where they have earned cross country scholarships to help pay for their studies.
“We’re majoring in biomedical engineering,” said Nicholas.  “We hope to develop prosthetics for the medical field.”
Both Nicholas and Zachary credit the Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes offered through Gaston County Schools and their teacher, Meredith McMillan, for their interest in biomedical engineering.
Now, their futures will take them to East Carolina to further their academic and athletic aspirations.  Together, they hope to continue being a friendly force in competition and sharing more championship moments.

The Belmont Abbey men’s basketball team hosted UNC Pembroke in a Conference Carolinas matchup at the Wheeler Center. The Crusaders were able to nearly mount a rally but fell 71-62 to the Braves. The Abbey trailed by as many as 14 points and got as close as seven late into the second half. The Crusaders are now 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the conference while the Braves move to 9-1 and 6-1, respectively.

How It Happened- Sean Halloran and Chandler Baker accounted for the first two made field goals of the game for the Crusaders. Bosko Bojovic and K.J. Garrett accounted for 11 of the final 15 points of the first half for The Abbey. The duo led a late surge with a pair of layups in the final six seconds in the first half to pull Belmont Abbey within 10 points at 31-21 at halftime. Belmont Abbey held UNC Pembroke to 34.3% shooting in the first half. The Crusaders got things going offensively from beyond the arc, making all six 3-pointers attempted after halftime. Belmont Abbey shot 51.4% from the field in the second half. Quest Aldridge led the way for The Abbey in his first home game of the season with a team-high 14 points off the bench. He also accounted for two steals. Sean Halloran also finished in double figures scoring with 12 points, a team-high four assists and a pair of steals. L.J. McCoy led Belmont Abbey with six rebounds.
Belmont Abbey photo/story

Recently, Gaston County celebrated its 175th anniversary. As part of the celebration, a poem contest was held throughout the county. Many congratulations to Charity Clark for winning the adult contest with her poem about Ranlo.

The Place That Holds My Dearest Memories
Charity Clark
Mawmaw told me time and time again,
“I walked into church that morning and
God told me it was him.”
By God, it must have been true.
Two weeks after meeting,
my grandparents said their “I do’s.”
They both worked at the Rex Mill
in Ranlo for a spell. Spin and spool.
Frame and fill.
In Ranlo when I spent the night,
Mawmaw would whisper “I love you,” as
the train whistled through the county with all its might.
“I remember when Sears was downtown,
and we had a Woolsworth’s, too.” She loved
to recall days past when I drove her around.
Although today my Mawmaw might be gone,
I find a lot of solace in the fact
that our county is still going strong.
For some Gaston County will only ever be
a spot on a map or a place to pass through. But for me,
it will always be the place that holds my dearest memories.

The Belmont Abbey men’s volleyball team started off its 2022 season with a strong opening match, completing a sweep of Long Island University, 25-16, 25-17, 25-25, Monday night at the Wheeler Center. It was also the first career victory for head coach Derek Sullivan, who was making his head coaching debut at The Abbey.

How It Happened- Matteo Miselli finished with a match-high 13 kills in the victory. The junior also finished with a .478 hitting percentage and had four block assists. The Crusaders took control of the match early by jumping out to an early 8-3 lead in the first set. The Abbey closed the first set strong by earning three of the last four points in the first set. Jake Somers gave the Crusaders a boost with an ace to open the second set. He also added seven kills and a solo block. The Crusaders also were strong defensively, finishing with 14 block assists and a pair of solo blocks. Matthew Maxwell finished with a match-high 25 assists. Brian Knoerr led the Crusaders with six digs. The Abbey held a 20-11 advantage over Long Island in that category. Belmont Abbey was also able to put together a strong start in the third set by taking an early 3-0 lead that later grew to an 11-4 advantage.
Belmont Abbey story/photo

Belmont Abbey hit a season-high .277 and Paige Rawlins tallied her eighth double-double of the season, lifting the Crusaders to a 3-0 (25-14, 26-24, 25-12) victory over Converse in Conference Carolinas women’s volleyball action last Saturday afternoon.
With their fourth win in the last six matches, The Abbey improves to 5-16 overall and 5-6 in league play. The Valkyries fall to 3-16, 3-7.
How It Happened
The Crusaders tallied 45 kills against just 14 errors in 112 chances. Converse connected at only a .062 pace (25-18-112). Rawlins registered 35 assists and 12 digs. She also had three kills and three block assists. Cameron Young had a season-high 16 kills, hitting .170. She had three assists, one ace and five digs. Lauren Hamilton also reached double figures in kills with 10. Hailey Ryan led the defensive effort with 17 digs. Maya Simmons equaled her career high with 12 digs.

The Belmont Abbey field hockey team closed out its regular season home schedule on a good note in a 3-1 victory over Coker in South Atlantic Conference Carolinas play Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field. Madison Mitchell, Ashley Hubbard and Camrynn Aiello were all honored on Senior Day during a pregame ceremony. Belmont Abbey moved to 7-5 overall and 5-4 in league play with the victory while Coker is now 2-9 overall and 2-8 in the SACC standings.

How It Happened
The Crusaders generated pressure on the Cobras early with three shots and three penalty corners in the first quarter. Abigail Kane scored her first goal of the season for The Abbey with 1:25 left before halftime. Her goal was set up off of a Crusaders penalty corner and was assisted by Casey Etter. Etter tallied her seventh goal of the season in the third quarter to give Belmont Abbey a 2-0 lead. She finished with a game-high five shots. Coker responded later in the third with a goal off of a penalty stroke. Samantha Moore scored her first goal of the season with 2:45 remaining in the game to seal the victory for The Abbey. Chloe Parker finished with eight saves, all of which came in the second half. It matched a season high that Parker accomplished Sept. 7 against Converse and Sept. 15 against Shippensburg. The Crusaders finished the game with 11 shots on goal.
Belmont Abbey story/photo
 

By John Wilson
John.bannernews@gmail.com
There is only one more game left in the 2021 high school football regular season, but it looks like the South Point Red Raiders are well on the way to finishing the season strong with back-to-back wins against Ashbrook and Forestview.
South Point 35
Ashbrook 21
Last week South Point ended up playing two games in five days. Their first game was on Monday when the Red Raiders lined up against the Ashbrook Greenwave.
The Greenwave managed to keep the ball away from the Red Raiders offense early in the game, but South Point was able to recover and went into the half up 14-7.
In the second half South Point was able to put another 21 points on the score board and easily outpaced the 14 points scored by Ashbrook.
The Red Raiders kept it on the ground only attempting one pass all game.
In the end South Point finished with 236 yards of total offense.
Solid performances were put in by Tyson Riley, Ashton Harris and Elijah Phifer.
Riley rushed for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Harris had 59 yards and a touchdown and Phifer finished up with 48 yards and one TD.
On the other side of the ball, the South Point defense played Ashbrook tough. The Red Raiders defense generated three turnovers.
Will Ross was Big Red’s top tackler with 16 stops. Not far behind Harris were Jaquis Rumph, Matt Hastings and Shane Wilson who all had 11 tackles a piece.
The Greenwave fought hard but in the end South Point took care of business.
“I thought we played pretty good,” head coach Hodge said. “They limited our possessions early in the game, but we were able to win the game. I’m proud of the kids.”
South Point 17
Forestview 14
After beating Ashbrook the Red Raiders only had a few days to prep before they faced the Forestview Jaguars in another important Big South 3A matchup last Friday.
This contest proved to be a real slugfest with both squads playing good football on both sides of the ball.
The South Point offense was powered by some strong running by senior Tyson Riley. Riley fought for every yard running for 79 yards off of 23 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
On the defensive side Ryan Harris led the Red Raider “D” with 11 tackles.
When regulation ended the game was tied up 14-14.
The battle continued well into two overtimes as the Jaguars and the Red Raiders both fought to get the upper hand.
In the second overtime it looked like Forestview may pull out the win, but missed a 42-yard field goal.
That misfire gave South Point the opportunity they needed to seal the deal.
A few plays later kicker Charles Birtwhistle had a chance to put the Red Raiders on top. Birtwhistle didn’t let his shot go to waste. The six-foot three-inch sophomore lined up and drilled a 27-yard field goal to give the Red Raiders the win.
With the playoffs coming up any conference win is a big deal. After beating Forestview the Red Raiders improved their record to 6-3. They are now in sole position of third place in the Big South 3A.
Coach Hodge was definitely pleased with how this one went down and is gearing up for the next game.
“A good high school football game,” Hodge added. “I’m proud of our kids and how they finished. They stuck together and won the game. Now we got to get ready for the next one. As Coach Lineberger would say, “Biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.”
This week South Point finishes up the regular season hosting the 1-8 North Gaston Wildcats.

The Gaston County Board of Education received the following “good news” for the month of September 2021:
Bessemer City High School, East Gaston High School, Forestview High School, Highland School of Technology, and South Point High School were recognized by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for outstanding sportsmanship.  The five schools did not have any athlete/coach ejections during the 2020-2021 school year.
Letters written 20 years ago by students at Tryon Elementary School were included in a display by the U.S. Secret Service in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the anniversary of 9-11.
Stuart W. Cramer High School senior Gwen Campau and Highland School of Technology senior Travis Rainwater are among 16,000 students who were named National Merit semifinalists. They will have an opportunity to compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million, which will be awarded next spring.
North Belmont Elementary School received a $9,150 donation from Vallen Corporation to purchase 20 computer stations.  In addition, Vallen employees donated three boxes of school supplies for students and teachers.
Rankin Lake Baptist Church packed and delivered 480 goodie bags for employees at North Gaston High School, W.C. Friday Middle School, Carr Elementary, Costner Elementary, Highland School of Technology, and Woodhill Elementary.
Highland School of Technology graduate Maggie Ferguson is the recipient of the Steagall Family Foundation Scholarship.  The scholarship provides $10,000 a year for college education along with an additional $6,000 per year for a summer internship program at Holy Angels. Maggie is attending UNC-Chapel Hill where she is studying speech pathology.
Gaston County Schools received 50 book bags from Direct Auto Insurance filled with school supplies.
H.H. Beam Elementary School received 96 book bags filled with school supplies from the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
W.B. Beam Intermediate School counselor Mark Reep shared information about the school’s amateur radio club with members of the Cherryville Rotary Club.  In addition, students in the Falcon Radio Club participated in the “Parks on the Air” amateur radio program this summer at Crowders Mountain State Park.
The cafeteria staff at Belmont Middle School and Page Primary received a 100 percent sanitation score.
The W.A. Bess Elementary PTO sponsored a school beautification project to prepare for the new school year. A team of school volunteers spent time planting flowers and spreading mulch to beautify the school grounds.
Bessemer City Primary celebrated “K is for Kindness Day” on September 10 in commemoration of September 11 and to honor the memory of Kay Scearce, who taught at the school for 31 years.
Classroom Central sponsored a school supply drive at Carr Elementary.  Nearly 190 teachers from across Gaston County received a box of school supplies.
Cake Me Away Bakery provided school supplies for Carr Elementary, Costner Elementary, W.C. Friday Middle, and North Gaston High School.
The Cherryville High School “Kindness Club” created posters for W.B. Beam Intermediate School.  Each poster has a unique message such as “One kind word can change someone’s entire day.” Senior Landrie Wofford organized the project.
Carr Elementary received school supplies from the Kiwanis Club, Dallas Baptist Church, and the Dallas Police Department. In addition, the school received a school supplies donation from third grade student Natalie Day.
In partnership with the Carolina Panthers, Carr Elementary teacher Diane Baron was nominated as a FSI Teacher of the Week.
Carr Elementary received the “Best of Gaston” award from The Gaston Gazette as a top public school in Gaston County.
Carr Elementary was selected to receive a Duke Energy Science Night Kit, which provides materials for students to participate in STEM-related (science, technology, engineering, math) activities.
North Gaston High School art teacher Tammy Hovis organized an art project at Carr Elementary that involved high school students painting a mural of the Leader in Me “7 Habits of Happy Kids.”
Chapel Grove Elementary teachers received gas gift cards from Gastonia Seventh Day Adventist Church. In addition, Southside Baptist Church, Carolinas Telco Credit Union, and Communities in School donated school supplies and backpacks.
More than 100 students at Gaston Early College High School have qualified for membership in the National Beta Club.
Gaston Early College High School students assisted Keep Gastonia Beautiful volunteers with a cleanup of the Highland Community Garden.
Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences school counselor Desiree Lackey and Gaston College liaison Misti Elting met with students and families to create four-year plans and discuss career and college goals. In addition, the school is developing clubs and a student council and working on inviting medical professionals to meet virtually with students to talk about their career journeys.
Hawks Nest STEAM Academy held a “Spruce Up The Nest” beautification day to prepare for the new school year.
The Hunter Huss High School football team assisted with a landscaping and mulching project at Lingerfeldt Elementary prior to the start of the school year.
McAdenville Elementary received a donation of school supplies from the Cramer Mountain Investment Club and Cramerton Community Committee.
Through the school’s “Penny March Madness” fundraiser, the New Hope Elementary PTO purchased new indoor basketball goals.
Each week at Page Primary, one kindergarten class and one first grade class have the opportunity to earn “The Golden Brick” as a part of the school’s behavior/character education program.  Classes must show the characteristics of respect, responsibility, and safety to be selected for “The Golden Brick.”
Pleasant Ridge Elementary received signs from Cliff Dixon and Pressbox Creative to help with morning and afternoon traffic flow.
Parkwood Baptist Church and Creekside Nursery volunteers planted 60 shrubs as part of a beautification project to repurpose the interior courtyard at Sherwood Elementary.
Sherwood Elementary received a donation of school supplies from Myers Memorial United Methodist Church.

Eric Morgan converted a kick on the final play of the game, leading 21st-ranked Belmont Abbey to a 10-7 win over UNC Charlotte in rugby action Thursday night.
The game was played at Martha Rivers Park in Gastonia.
How It Happened- UNCC opened the scoring with a short try and conversion midway through the first half. The Crusaders (3-1-1) tied the game at 7-7 a short time later after Michael Brennan broke through the defense, the made the conversion. The Abbey played most of the second half in the 49ers’ end, but could not score until the final kick.
Belmont Abbey photo/story