Kings Mountain, GCS softball continue title pursuits; NCHSAA state track qualifiers

Kings Mountain softball has a date in the fourth round of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs.

The Lady Mountaineers did just enough Thursday to outlast Foard 1-0 in a third-round playoff matchup between league champions. Kings Mountain (21-0) will host East Rowan on Friday with a berth in the 3A West championship series at stake.

It is the first time Kings Mountain has advanced to the fourth round since 2007.

Desiree Green started the Lady Mountaineer rally in the sixth with a one-out single. After advancing to second on a groundout, Green came around to score on a Foard error.

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Maddie Huffman would do the rest, allowing no runs on three hits with 17 strikeouts. Foard's Karsyn Sigmon was equally impressive, allowing a run (unearned) on two hits with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Rival Crest wasn’t as fortunate Thursday, falling 3-1 at Piedmont. The Chargers were limited to one hit, a solo home run by Sara Rose Warlick in the sixth.

Crest’s season ends at 17-5.

Gaston Christian softball goes for the gold

A late-season surge has propelled Gaston Christian to within two wins of the NCISAA 2A state title.

Winners in seven of their last eight games, the Eagles (10-8) will take on High Point Christian (19-2) in a best-of-three series set for Friday and Saturday. The Cougars are vying for their third consecutive NCISAA state title.

Gaston Christian earned its spot in this weekend’s state title series with a 7-6 win at Grace Christian on Monday. Ciara Nanney, Katie Muchesko and Bailey Livengood led the Eagles with two hits apiece.

An eighth-grader, Livengood leads the team with a .421 batting average. Nanney also has 20 hits in 53 at-bats and a team-high 14 RBIs.

Track and field

The NCHSAA state track and field championships will be held Friday and Saturday at the Marcus T. Johnson Track at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Here are area qualifiers.

Friday, May 17

Class 2A

Boys

Mikalister Anderson, West Lincoln (high jump); Tucker Caulder, Lincoln Charter (800 meters); Damon Cook, Shelby (1,600 meters); Noah Gartner, Shelby (300-meter hurdles); Parker Kelly, West Lincoln (long jump); Lincolnton 4x100-meter relay; Steven Morgan, Shelby (400 meters); Shelby 4x100-meter relay; Shelby 4x200-meter relay; Shelby 4x800-meter relay; Kamari Surratt, Burns (110-meter hurdles, long jump, triple jump)

Girls

Areanna Bates, Shelby (100-meter dash); Sophia Champion, Lincoln Charter (3,200 meters); East Gaston 4x200-meter relay; Kaylee Greene, Burns (300-meter hurdles); Lincoln Charter 4x800-meter relay; Carolina Robinson, West Lincoln (shot put); Shelby 4x100-meter relay; Shelby 4x200-meter relay; Zeriah Stowers, Lincolnton (100-meter dash); Keynia Trammell, Burns (200-meter dash)

Saturday, May 18

Class 3A

Boys

Derek Christain, Ashbrook (200-meter dash); Hunter Cruise, Kings Mountain (pole vault); Hunter Huss 4x100-meter relay Hunter Huss 4x200-meter relay; Blythe Jaworsky, North Lincoln (pole vault); Bryson Lomick, South Point (100-, 200-meter dash); Logan Richardson, North Lincoln (1,600 meters); Jaylen Roseboro, East Lincoln (100-meter dash, 400 meters); Jeremiah Sellers, North Lincoln (long jump, triple jump); South Point 4x100-meter relay; Parker St. Jean, North Lincoln (3,200 meters); Jarvis Stevens, East Lincoln (long jump); Max Thompson, Kings Mountain (800 meters); Hunter Zettl, North Lincoln (shot put, discus);

Girls

Olivia Ferraro, North Lincoln (800, 1,600 meters); Zaniah Field, Kings Mountain (100-meter dash, long jump); Bella Green, North Lincoln (800 meters, 1,600 meters); Marianah Keville, North Lincoln (triple jump); Camryn Massey, Ashbrook (shot put, discus); North Lincoln 4x800-meter relay; Rachel Tolbert, South Point (400 meters); Akira Walker, Hunter Huss (200-meter dash); Bella Wood, North Lincoln (3,200 meters)

Class 1A

Boys

Javon Boyd, Mountain Island Charter (100-, 200-meter dash); Reggie Daniel, Mountain Island Charter (200-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, triple jump); Malachi Davis, Mountain Island Charter (100-, 200-meter dash); Ian Harrison, Mountain Island Charter (long jump); Connor Logue, Mountain Island Charter (pole vault); Mountain Island Charter 4x100-meter relay; Mountain Island Charter 4x200-meter relay; Mountain Island Charter 4x800-meter relay; Grayson Tillotson, Mountain Island Charter (3,200 meters)

Girls

Mountain Island Charter 4x100-meter relay; Mountain Island Charter 4x200-meter relay; Mountain Island Charter 4x800-meter relay; Olivia Petterson, Mountain Island Charter (200-meter dash); Natalie Patton, Mountain Island Charter (100-meter dash)