FINALISTS NAMED FOR 2ND ANNUAL GREATER CHARLOTTE HOT STOVE LEAGUE DINNER AWARDS

The finalists for the seven awards to be presented at the Greater Charlotte Hot Stove League Award Dinner on Saturday January 24th were announced.   Each finalist will be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments on and off the field.  Last year’s winners included a who’s who list of area baseball and softball players, including; Constance Orr, Richie Shaffer, Erin Kayton and Chase Arnold.  This season three new awards have been added to the evening.

Hot Stove League President Tripp Roakes is very proud of all the nominees and looks forward to honoring the finalists on the 24th of January.(complete story)

You’re cordially invited to the
Carolina Courts Grand Opening

Saturday, January 10th, 3 to 9pm.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be at 2:30pm and then Grand Opening begins at 3pm.
We’ll also feature an
exhibition basketball game at 6:30 pm.

Carolina Courts
7210 Stinson Hartis Road, NC 28079
(from 74/Indepedence Blvd, go east on Indian Trail/Fairview Rd.
for about 1 mile – if you see Extreme Ice, you’ve gone too far.
  Turn left on Stinson Hartis Rd. and then Carolina Courts
will be on the right, just past the Pods building)

Basketball and volleyball fans, family, and friends: 
Come join us for a fun-filled day of games and activities for all ages..  You can give the new hoops and volleyball nets a try, and have many chances to win prizes.  Our day will end with a Big Brothers/Big Sisters Benefit Basketball game, featuring Union County and Mecklenburg County
high-school basketball coaches, along with local celebrities. 
Our free exhibition benefit game starts at 6:30pm.

4th ANNUAL ST. MATTHEW BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT A HUGE SUCCESS

The St. Matthew Christmas Tournament is becoming one of the top Christmas basketball tournaments in the area. With the hard work of Robert and Angie Pollack and their entire family and a large group of friends, this event adds to its reputation each year.   The 2008 event raised $6,316.00 over the course of three days and 43 games between teams from 4th-8th grades.

The following teams and players earned special recognition with their efforts.

Tournament Champions included; St. Gabriel Mcardle (4th grade boys), St. Gabriel Connery (5th Grade Boys), Providence Day (6th Grade Girls), St. Matthew Corcoran (7th/8th Grade Girls) and St. Matthew Balbirnie (8th Grade Boys.) (complete story)

The South Charlotte Sports Report sends out our thoughts and prayers to the family of Connor McKemey.    Connor and his mother Karin were badly burned in an accident at their home  just before Christmas involving an explosion in the outdoor fireplace. Connor suffered serious burns and Karin was burned in the process of helping Connor. They were flown by helicopter and are receiving the best care possible at the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga. Connor is burned over a large percentage of his body. Karin has significant burns on her hands.

To learn more of to offer your thoughts and prayers, please click here.

SOUTH CHARLOTTE SPORTS REPORT
SUPER SEVEN POLL
FINAL 2008

1. Butler - When it was all said and done, the Bulldogs had the best team in our coverage area.  Many folks believe 2009 will be the year for Butler.
2. South Meck - At the end of the season when it matters, South Meck made a monumental run through the playoffs.  All Sabres should be proud of the season.
3. Charlotte Christian - Wonderful run to the NCISAA State Title.  The Knights earned the title by defeating last years champion, Charlotte Latin.
4. Charlotte Catholic - The Cougars were a very strong football team, they just came up inches short in state semifinal game.
5. Marvin Ridge - The Mavericks should be very proud of their season.  A new coach, a new attitude and a visit to the state playoffs!
6. Charlotte Latin - The Hawks had a great team this season, they just seemed to lack that something extra as in years past.
7. Providence  - It was nice to see The Panthers bounce back and play solid football this year.

SOUTH CHARLOTTE MIDDLE SCHOOL HONORS FALL ATHLETES

The annual South Charlotte Middle School FallSport Awards were held recently.  The following student-athletes were honored for their efforts.  

 Cheerleading:
Rachel Kean - Jill of All Trades
Jessica Rousey - Luminosity award
Kelin Coleman - Most Contagious Spirit  

Softball:
Nicole Freitas -  MVP
Anna Talarico -   MVP
Kira Carter  - Most Improved Player 

Volleyball: 
Ashton Carrick - Electric Setter Award,
Kynadi Hankins - Shocking Hitter Award
Casey Rieger – MVP

Football:
Chris Rieger  - Outstanding Player:  
Shakur Herron  - Outstanding Player:  
Alex Wilson  - Outstanding Player:  
John Carrick  - Most Valuable Player 

BOJANGLES SHOOTOUT TIPS OFF DECEMBER 29TH

Looking for something fun to do after Christmas? Take my advice and head on out to the 9th Annual Bojangles Shootout at Marvin Ridge High School.  The tournament staff, led by Jeff Hood, has assembled another incredible group of high school basketball teams.  Three unique tournaments will be held from December 29-31, a local Boys Tournament, a National Boys Tournament and a National Girls Tournament.  As a veteran of 6 of the 9 events, I can feel safe in saying its one of the best high school events in the Country.

For more information, click on http://www.athletesforyouth.org/  

JUSTIN CHEEK STEPS OUT FROM THE SHADOW

With a father that appears on television every weekend as an NFL Field Judge and a sister that starts for the # 11 ranked Duke Blue Devils Basketball team, where does Ardrey Kell High School junior Justin Cheek find his place to shine in life?    The basketball court is the answer or to be more specific, The Knight’s Castle at Ardrey Kell High School.  Justin has chosen to follow his sister Joy’s career path and excel with the roundball.  The six foot three inch shooting guard is off to a fast start in his third varsity season for head coach Mike Craft.  Justin recently set his career high scoring output with 27 points versus Charlotte Catholic.  Now many of the same colleges that courted his sister Joy when she was earning McDonald’s All-American recognition at South Mecklenburg High School are paying attention to Justin and trying to gauge where his talents can take him.(complete story)

SHAWN-MARIE HEILIGER BRINGS ENERGY TO THE BASKETBALL COURT

When Shawn-Marie Heiliger is on the basketball court, good things are going to happen, and happen fast.  This 16 year old package of energy is one of the leading players in the South Charlotte area.  Shawn-Marie is a junior at Charlotte Catholic High School and the daughter of Dave and Joni Heiliger.  

Shawn-Marie has been playing basketball her whole life and has competed in AAU basketball competitions since fourth grade. In the past she has dabbled in soccer and gymnastics, but has settled in with her true love, basketball.

The first thing you notice about Shawn-Marie on the court is her speed and quickness.  With years of great coaching, she has settled into her own style of play.(complete story)

National Scouting Report Opens Greater Charlotte Office

National Scouting Report which is regarded as the premier high school scouting service for college coaches has opened a full time office in the Greater Charlotte area. National Scouting first started providing scouting reports to college athletic programs in 1980 and has built a reputation as being the undisputed leader in the industry by providing state of the art products and unparalleled services for maximum college exposure to high school student athletes and their families.

Until recently the Charlotte area was serviced out of NSR’s Western Carolina office in Asheville, NC which also provided coverage of the Greensboro-Winston-Salem market and the South Carolina upstate, but with the growth of high school athletics specifically in the South Charlotte region a staff was needed locally to provide better service to the Queen City and her athletes.(complete release)

CAROLINA COURTS SETS GRAND OPENING FOR JANUARY 10TH

Carolina Courts announces their Grand Opening event to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.  The state-of-the-art sports facility in Indian Trail, North Carolina, will have their Grand Opening celebration on January 10th, 2009 from 3pm to 9pm.  The Grand Opening is free to the public.  What promises to be an exciting event will be headlined by a benefit basketball game that will feature Union County & Mecklenburg County high school basketball coaches, with local celebrities, competing against each other.  This free exhibition benefit game will take place on January 10th, at 6:30pm.   

You are cordially invited to join Ron Esser and Scott Chitwood, and their staff, in this fun filled event.   Carolina Courts will be a year-round facility focusing on basketball and volleyball for all ages.  The gym will offer five full-court basketball courts that double as ten volleyball courts. Included in the 44,000 square-foot facility will be top-quality taraflex flooring, high intensity/energy saving fluorescent lighting, first class training equipment, large concessions area, arcade, and a parents lounge area with free WIFI service.  Just 3 miles from Matthews, Carolina Courts is conveniently located near Hwy 74, in Indian Trail, and easy to get to from most areas in Charlotte.(complete release)

JR. CHECKERS “SQUIRT A” PROVE THANKSGIVING A TIME FOR MIRACLES

TEAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIP AT STEEL CITY’S THREE RIVERS CUP TOURNAMENT AFTER TRAILING BY 2 GOALS LATE IN 3RD PERIOD

by Terry Fields.....

The Squirt A Jr. Checkers’ tournament experience in Pittsburgh was much like the drive getting there—lots of wild turns, obstacles and hills to climb, but worth every minute.  The team arrived at our posh weekend digs--The Westin Convention Center–smack in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving with some of us trickling in on Friday.  Together we congregated in the 5th floor hallways and contemplated what lie ahead in the 3 games that began Friday evening.  After some memorable hotel knee hockey games and lightening our wallets at Perani’s Hockey World, the script that follows could not have been penned more dramatically by a Hollywood screenwriter.  But it is all true.  For we all lived it. (complete story)