Trojans meet No. 1 seed Charlotte Catholic

By Bill Kiser

Kannapolis Citizen

Northwest Cabarrus accomplished one of its main goals last week when it earned a berth in the state playoffs.

However, the Trojans will have to bounce back quickly from losing their regular-season finale to take on state power Charlotte Catholic on Friday night in the first round of the 3AA playoffs.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Keffer Stadium in Charlotte. Northwest is seeded 16th in the 3AA West bracket, while three-time state champ Catholic is seeded No. 1.

The Trojans (5-6, 3-5 North Piedmont Conference) squeaked into the playoffs despite losing two of their last three games, including a 33-7 defeat at the hands on Lake Norman last week.

“We wanted to play better than we did and win the game Friday, but things didn’t work out,” first-year Northwest head coach Rich Williams said. “But we were still fortunate enough to get into the playoffs, and that was one of our goals.”

While the Trojans got a career-high passing game from Jonathon Wallace, Northwest had problems getting its ground game going against Lake Norman’s tough defense (77 yards on 26 carries).

Wallace threw for 201 yards on 18-of-34 completions with one touchdown, a 25-yarder to Fred House in the fourth quarter. But he was also picked off twice, and a Trojans fumble set up one Wildcats score.

“Our running game wasn’t very good,” Williams said. “But give Lake Norman credit — they stopped our running game, and that took us out of our rhythm and made us throw it more than we like to.”

In addition, Northwest’s defense, which had held its last three opponents to just over 100 yards rushing per game, turned porous against Lake Norman, allowing 282 yards and three TDs.

The Trojans will need to toughen both up against the Cougars (9-2, 6-0 Queen City Conference), who have won three state titles (2A in 1977, 2AA in 2004 and 3AA in 2005) and made it to the championship game the last four seasons under 37-year head coach Jim Oddo.

Fullback Joe Felts — one of just three starters back from last year’s team — leads a Catholic ground game with more than 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns. Jadarius Bruce has added nearly 1,000 total offense and 10 TDs, and quarterback Danny Reyes has thrown for more than 900 yards and 13 TDs.

The Cougars also enter the playoffs on a roll, having won eight consecutive games — including a 41-14 drubbing of Charlotte Berry last week — after opening the season with losses in two of their first three games.

“They’re a very good team, and they’re very well coached,” Williams said. “We’re going to have to play our best game, and hopefully we can find some things that can work against them and stop them, and we’ll go from there.

“We’re not going to go in there with a loser’s attitude — we’re going in there trying to win. Everyone’s 0-0 now … and whoever wins keeps going, whoever doesn’t goes home.”

After ringing Concord’s bell, Wonders face Lake Norman

By Bill Kiser

Kannapolis Citizen

A.L. Brown has been riding high, with a pair of high-scoring wins — including a big one over a long-time rival — building its momentum over the last two weeks of the regular season.

The Wonders will need to keep that momentum going Friday night, when they host Lake Norman in the opening round of the state 3AA playoffs.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. Brown is seeded fourth in the 16-team 3AA West bracket, while the Wildcats are seeded 13th.

Brown — which finished 9-2 and 7-1 in the South Piedmont Conference, good for a share of the league title with Anson County — wrapped its regular-season schedule with a dominating 56-6 win over cross-town rival Concord in the annual “Battle for the Bell” game.

That was the most points scored by a winning team in the 79-year history of the Bell game, which was first played in 1931, and the most lopsided finish since a pair of 41-0 Wonder wins (in 1955 and 1980).

“I don’t think any of us had any idea that it’d be like that,” defensive coordinator Noah Lyon said. “Our kids played really well for the most part — we did give up too much yardage, especially in the second half … but it was an important game, and there wasn’t a whole lot we couldn’t be happy with.”

It was also the most points scored by the Wonders in a single game since they racked up 62 in a win over East Rowan in 2003, and the first time they had back-to-back 50-point games — they beat Porter Ridge 52-0 on Oct. 31 — since the final two games of the 2001 season, when Brown put up 69 and 61 points against East and North Iredell, respectively.

“Our kids have just played real well the last two weeks,” offensive line coach Todd Hagler said. “We really feel like if we play really well, we have a chance against anybody.”

And Brown did it behind the efforts of quarterback Jamill Lott, who ran for a career-high 128 yards and two touchdowns and threw for three more scores (also a career best).

Lott threw for just 93 yards on 5-of-10 completions, but had TD throws of 23 yards to T.J. Johnson, 42 yards to Colby Reid and 14 yards to Zach Massey. He also scored on runs of 39 and 41 yards.

“Oh yeah, he keeps getting better and better,” Hagler said of Lott, who leads Brown in rushing (802 yards), passing (1,129 yards, 13 TDs) and scoring (10 touchdowns). “We just hope he can continue to get better over the coming weeks.”

Travis Riley also ran for two scores (1 and 11 yards), and Jonathan Williams added an 8-yard TD run late in the second quarter as the Wonders jumped out to a 35-6 halftime lead.

Brown’s defense also had another big game. While it gave up 164 yards rushing to Roger Smith and one touchdown on a 9-yard Ben Brill-to-William Propst pass, the Wonders also forced five turnovers, turning that into four touchdowns.

“We were able to get on them from the very start, and that helped,” Lyon said.

Brown will need to have both its offense and defense on a fine edge against Lake Norman (7-4, 5-4 North Piedmont Conference), which wrapped up its most-successful season in school history with a 33-7 win over Northwest Cabarrus last week.

The Wildcats have been an enigma in the NPC this season — they suffered losses to lower-level teams like Carson and South Rowan, but gave league powers West Rowan (a 23-17 double-OT loss) and Mooresville (a 17-7 win) all they could handle.

Lake Norman has been impressive defensively, holding Mooresville’s Jjshaun Pinkston, the state’s leading rusher, to a season-low 67 yards and one touchdown. It also kept West Rowan’s K.P. Parks out of the end zone until the first overtime.

“Defensively, they’re a good football team,” Hagler said. “They shut down Pinkston and did the same to Parks. They’re good, but they lost some games they probably shouldn’t have lost. They’re a quality team, so I don’t know if we got a great draw in the first round.”

Offensively, the Wildcats also throw a number of rushing threats out of a “pistol formation,” in which the quarterback lines up in a shotgun formation, but has one back lined up behind him.

“This is going to be a big test for us,” Lyon said. “They run it so many different ways … and it’s a different style offense. There’s a ton of different plays that look the same, but they’re run differently. We’ve got to prepare for all of them.

“But if our offense can keep playing the way they have, and defensively we not give up too many big plays and keep forcing turnovers, if we can keep doing that, we might be able to make a run at this thing.”

Wedding planner opens service

Jennifer Pearson has opened a new full-service wedding and event planning business based in Concord.  

Pearson will be serving Cabarrus, Stanly, Rowan and Mecklenburg counties. Pearson has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has received an Award of Merit and has been designated an International Wedding Planning Professional by the QC School of Wedding Planning.  

Pearson is also a consultant member of the Association of Bridal Consultants.  She has also earned the Professional Bridal Consultant Designation by the Association. Besides weddings of all budgets, Pearson also plans and coordinates parties, fundraisers and corporate events.  

“My goal is to serve members of the community by saving people money without compromising their goals,” says Pearson. Her phone number is 704-784-1369.

Holt attends focus08

Jason Holt of F&M Investment Services in Salisbury recently attended focus08, an industry conference hosted by LPL Financial.

“We are extremely proud of Jason for having distinguished himself among the top performers at LPL Financial,” said Dan R. Williams, president of F&M Investment Services, a subsidiary of F&M Bank.

Held in Chicago, focus08 is one of the industry’s largest gatherings of independent financial advisers. Nearly 7,000 from around the country assembled for the opportunity to learn new strategies and skills, expand knowledge in product areas and network with peers and industry experts. 

They also heard speakers address industry trends and provide ideas on improving advisors’ service. 

At the conference, Holt was recognized for providing exceptional client service as a member of LPL Financial’s Chairman’s Club, comprising the top 6 percent of LPL Financial’s more than 11,000 investment professionals.

Woodson scholarship

Teresa Pittman of Kannapolis was one of 19 Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students to receive Margaret C. Woodson Foundation Scholarships.

Established in 2002, the scholarship program is supported with annual contributions from the Margaret C. Woodson Foundation Inc. Recipients must be full-time students and live in Rowan or Davie counties. 

The scholarships cover tuition, books, fees and other related expenses for the 2008-2009 school year up to $2,500.

LNRMC to have flu clinic at Lowe’s YMCA

MOORESVILLE — Lake Norman Regional Medical Center (LNRMC) will host a flu clinic at the Lowe’s YMCA in Mooresville on Monday.

The event will be 9-11 a.m. and no appointment is necessary. Flu shots will be $30 per person, and Medicare will be accepted. Shots will be available to people 18 years of age and older.

The clinic will be led by Jane Edmiston, LNRMC’s nurse liaison between the YMCA and the medical community in joint programs to promote health and fitness.

Free composting class shows what to do with leaves

CONCORD — Cabarrus County officials are suggesting that residents put their many fall leaves to better use this year.

“Don’t let this valuable resource sit at the curb or go up in smoke,” Aimee L. Hawkins, Cabarrus County’s communications and outreach manager, said in a press release.

The Cabarrus County Solid Waste Department is offering free backyard composting classes to help county residents manage yard waste and kitchen scraps responsibly and to use them to build healthier soil.

Hawkins said residents’ options for dealing with fall leaves vary by community.  Many municipalities have leaf pickups.  Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county have to take their leaves to the county’s landfill, or under some circumstances, they may be permitted to burn them.

“Composting these leaves in your own backyard can give you a soil amendment which will provide nutrients to your lawn or garden,” Hawkins said in a press release.

The Solid Waste Department’s composting classes will teach residents how to enrich the red clay in their yards and garden with compost. The class also will teach residents how to compost properly to save time and energy and to keep odors and animals at bay.

“Burning should be a last resort because it is both a safety risk and health hazard,” Pete Pasterz, Cabarrus County waste reduction coordinator, said. “Airborne particulates from burning can trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases. Your children or elderly neighbors are especially susceptible.

“Compost is a wonderful natural fertilizer. It helps retain moisture and has even been shown to reduce the number of weeds in a garden.  About one-third of household trash is compostable.”

Organic waste such as leaves that go into a landfill trigger the formation of methane, “which is more potent than carbon dioxide as a climate warming gas,” Pasterz said.

Cabarrus residents can participate in one of two classes offered during November. Classes will be held Nov. 15, a Saturday, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Nov. 20, a Thursday,  from 6 to 8 p.m.

County officials are offering refreshments and door prizes as enticements. All participants will take home a wire compost bin and composting guide.

Space is limited. To reserve a spot, call Pasterz at 704-920-3280 or e-mail him at papasterz@cabarrus        county.us.

Rowan-Cabarrus graduate wins NHRA race

SALISBURY — Tisha Wilson, a 2008 graduate of the Motorsports Management Technology program at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, won the Super Comp category at the recent NHRA Virginia Nationals drag racing event held at the Virginia Motorsports Park near Richmond.

The win also marked the first time the 20-year-old Wilson had reached the finals of a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event.

A resident of Kannapolis and a graduate of South Rowan High School, Wilson has competed in dragsters since the age of 5. 

“This means more than anything to me,” Wilson said of her win. “I was very happy my parents got to experience this with me, as they have been my greatest supporters.”

Wilson brought her “Wally” (championship trophy named after NHRA founder Wally Parks) to RCCC to show students in the Motorsports Management (MSM) program.

“The support of the MSM program has meant the world to me. What I learned at the college and the people I met have helped me mature in this business,” Wilson said.

“Tisha took the initiative to graduate early from high school just so she could start college early, and that shows her determination,” said Richmond Gage, head of RCCC’s Motorsports Management program. “She was a great student, and we share her joy of this win.”

Wilson is continuing her education at RCCC, working toward an associate degree in marketing.

Established in 1997, RCCC’s Motorsports Management Technology Program educates students in both the business and technical aspects of the motorsports industry. The program has produced more than 100 alumni working in every area of the industry. 

MSM associate degree and certificate programs are offered, with associate degree graduates having the option of transferring to N.C. A&T’s bachelor’s degree program in manufacturing systems-motorsports.

For more information about MSM program at RCCC, contact Gage at 704-216-3918 or gager@rowan cabarrus.edu.

Rowan Regional starts program to prevent shaken baby syndrome

SALISBURY — Rowan Regional Medical Center has become one of the first hospitals in the region to implement a new shaken baby prevention program. Rowan Regional maternity nurses now provide program materials and information to parents of all babies born at the hospital before they are discharged.

“This is a new program we are implementing on November first that is based on a statewide initiative by Keeping Babies Safe in North Carolina,” said Michael Burton, director of public relations and marketing at Rowan Regional Medical Center.  

“While it is voluntary, we thought it was important to participate and educate new parents about the importance of preventing shaken baby syndrome,” he added.

Nationally, an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 children each year receive medical treatment after being shaken. An estimated 25 percent of these children die and 80 percent of survivors are left with some form of lifelong brain injury. 

At Rowan Regional, each new mother will receive a DVD called “The Period of PURPLE Crying,” and the maternity staff of the Women’s & Children’s Center will provide educational sessions while they are patients at the hospital. 

The program educates parents and caregivers about the hazards of shaking and gives them alternatives to use when they feel they need a respite from a crying baby, such as handing a baby off to another caregiver or going to another room while leaving the baby its crib with the rails up for periods of no longer than 15 minutes.

“The main objective of the program is to bring about a cultural change in the community concerning the understanding of crying and shaken baby syndrome,” said Director of Women’s and Children’s Services Cora Greene, MSN, RNC. “This is so that not only mothers and fathers of new babies, but also friends, family, neighbors and healthcare professionals can be supportive of parents and more knowledgeable about the characteristics of infant crying,” she said.

Training and supplies for the program were made available by Keeping Babies Safe in North Carolina, a collaboration between the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, and the Center for Child and Family Health. 

The goal of Keeping Babies in North Carolina is to reduce Shaken Baby Syndrome by 50 percent over the next five years. This represents the largest and most comprehensive intervention for Shaken Baby Syndrome in the country. 

The first step in the process is for all 90 hospitals in the state that handle deliveries to share the materials and message with all parents and caregivers of infants. This way, the program will reach every parent of the approximately 125,000 babies born in the state each year.

Keeping Babies Safe in North Carolina has received more than $7 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the Duke Endowment and is led by a coalition of stakeholders from the National Center for Shaken Baby Syndrome, University of British Columbia, and state and county agencies, service providers and nonprofit agencies.

More help is available by calling the North Carolina Family Resource Health Line at 1-800-367-2229, or by visiting the Web site for the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome at www.dontshake.org.

Rowan County Sheriff’s Office

A projector, a computer and cash were stolen during a burglary at a China Grove church, according to the Rowan Countty Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Clark Comer reported the items, valued at $2,100, were stolen Oct. 27 from Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 4914 Old Beatty Ford Road.

In other Sheriff’s Office reports:

• Angela Cress Bostian of Kannapolis reported Oct. 22 that someone tried to use her Social Security number to obtain a credit card Sept. 16 or 17.

• Betty Propst Farmer, 740 Miller Road, China Grove, reported the Oct. 23 theft of jewelry valued at $1,200 from her home.

• Summer M. Mance of Kannapolis reported Oct. 24 that her vehicle had been stolen from 294 Ethel Lane, China Grove, between March 26 and 28.

• George Lewis Gipson, 19, was charged Oct. 24 with assault on a female. He is accused of assaulting his mother, Judy Elaine Gipson, at 190 Hallmark Circle, China Grove.

• Three 16-year-olds, Shelby Lee Maddy, Ian Erwin Correll and Rikki Nicole Gainey, were charged Oct. 25 with underage consumption of alcohol at 2400 Dawson St., Kannapolis.

• Nicolas Lopez of Kannapolis reported vandals damaged boards marking corners at a 175 Northdale Ave., Kannapolis, construction site Oct. 24 or 25.

• Donna Frye Tilley, 615 Homer Corriher Road, China Grove, reported medication valued at $12.25 stolen from his home Oct. 25.

• Yusuf Almuid Williams, 31, was charged Oct. 26 with communicating threats at 569 Kirk St., China Grove.

• Emmett Wayne Eagle, 115 Dorothy Drive, China Grove, reported a burglar broke into his home between Oct. 24-27.

• Curtis R. Leach Jr. reported items valued at $1,135.94 were stolen Oct. 13 from Carolina Wholesale, 2165 Shue Road, China Grove.

• Barry Lynn Hartman Jr., 1025 Old Beatty Ford Road, China Grove, reported a burglar broke into his home Oct. 27 and stole a $1,000 electric guitar and $50 cash.

• Charles Ronaldo Graham, 20, was charged Oct. 27 with simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance at 1385 Partee Lane, China Grove.

• Mark Wayne Haney, 51, was charged Oct. 28 with communicating threats and resisting, delaying and obstructing a public officer at 225 Arcadia Road, China Grove.

• Steven Wayne Pennington, 206 Vanderbilt Ave., China Grove, reported items stolen from several vehicles parked in driveways in China Grove and Kannapolis the night of Oct. 29.

• Randy Galloway, 5260 Enochville School Road, China Grove, reported cash stolen from his vehicle while it was parked at his home the night of Oct. 29.

• Barbara Jordan Wilkerson, 985 John St., China Grove, reported keys stolen from her vehicle while it was parked at her home Oct. 30.

• Christopher Lee Carter, 23, was charged Nov. 2 at 2500 Earle St., Kannapolis, with misdemeanor aiding and abetting.

• James Richard Varner reported a vehicle stolen Nov. 2 or 3 from 1155 Emanuel St., Kannapolis.

• Michael Shane Wilhelm, 36, was charged Nov. 3 with assault with a deadly weapon at 1073 Gaddy Mobile Home Drive, Kannapolis.

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