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Union's Dustin Alphin slides into second underneath Raider Heath Smith as the two teams collide in the third round of the state playoffs Friday. (Savanna Pope/The Sampson Independent)
Midway baseball wins 3rd round over Spartans
For the fourth time this season, the Raiders and Spartans met up on the baseball diamond, but this time the stakes were a little higher, as it was the third round of the NCHSAA state playoffs. Just like the other three times, Midway took the win and showed why they were ranked No. 1 in the Tri-County Conference. Union, ranked No. 5 and the underdog in their two previous wins, put up a good fight, but couldn’t get their bats to work with runne...
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Hobbton High School's outstanding softball catcher, Taylor Bowden has signed a Letter of Intent to play softball for Barton College in Wilson in her college career. With Ms. Bowden are: Pat Bowden, mother; Rodney Bowden, father; Dr. Wesley Johnson, Hobbton Principal; Wildcat softball coach, Morgan Farroll; Brett Bowden, her brother; and travel ball coach David Mixon. (David Johnson/The Sampson Independent)
Wildcat Bowden to play softball at Barton
David Johnson/The Sampson Independent Hobbton High School’s outstanding softball catcher, Taylor Bowden has signed a Letter of Intent to play softball for Barton College in Wilson in her college career. With Ms. Bowden are: Pat Bowden, mother; Rodney Bowden, father; Dr. Wesley Johnson, Hobbton Principal; Wildcat softball coach, Morgan Farroll; Brett Bowden, her brother; and travel ball coach David Mixon.
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Seated in the center is Courtney Pearsall, who will play basketball at Brunswick Community College next year. Seated on the right is her mother, Angela Faison, and on her left is the BCC coach Joe Gaughan. Standing from left is CHS Principal Ronald Bean, LDH assistant coach Regina Parker, and head coach Chris Owens. (Savanna Pope/The Sampson Independent)
LDH Pearsall will play for BCC
Lady Dark Horse Courtney Pearsall started playing basketball just a few years after learning how to walk, so it’s a good thing she won’t have to stop playing when she graduates this year. Pearsall has been accepted to play basketball at Brunswick Community College. BCC head basketball Coach Joe Gaughan was on hand for the announcement and said, “We were looking for someone who can score from the outside, and who can also get inside to the...
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Lady Crusaders playing for 2A NCIHSAA state championship
The Lady Crusaders vied for the 2A NCIHSAA State title on Saturday at William Peace University in Raleigh. Harrells Christian Academy was ranked No. 2 going into the tournament and has won three straight to get to this point. They put down Northside Academy earlier in the week. On Friday the Lady Crusaders had to win two in a row to continue on. They defeated No. 3 Halifax Academy 7-0 in the first game of the final four. With that win, ...
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Titans stop Lady Raiders’ post-season run
The Midway Lady Raiders softball team traveled to Tri-County Conference rival Heide Trask Friday night in the third round of the state playoffs. The team from Spivey’s Corner spotted the home team a large lead before denting the scoreboard. Trask held on for an 11-6 victory. The Lady Titans tallied 3 runs in the first inning. They added 2 more in the 2nd and put five more across in the 3rd. The Lady Raiders plated 4 in the 4th and 2 in the ...
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Royal signs with Wingate for football Tyler Royal of North Duplin High School signed an athletic and academic scholarship recently with Wingate University and will play football in the NCAA Division II program. Royal rushed for 2,032 yards as a Rebel senior, including single-game county records of six touchdowns and 425 yards rushing against Princeton. Both numbers rank in the state's top 20 all-time. He also scored 33 touchdowns - 30 rushing and 3 on kickoff returns. Royal, who has ties to Sampson County, was selected to the All-Conference team in the 1A Carolina Conference and also was Offensive Player of the year and a first-team pick on the Duplin's Elite All-County football team. Pictured beside Royal is his brother Kyle Smith. Standing, from left, are North Duplin head football coach Hugh Martin, stepfather Marty Smith, mother Robin Smith, athletic director Ricky Edwards and Tyler's father, Marcus Royal of Sampson County. (Courtesy photo)
Royal signs with Wingate for football
Tyler Royal of North Duplin High School signed an athletic and academic scholarship recently with Wingate University and will play football in the NCAA Division II program. Royal rushed for 2,032 yards as a Rebel senior, including single-game county records of six touchdowns and 425 yards rushing against Princeton. Both numbers rank in the state’s top 20 all-time. He also scored 33 touchdowns - 30 rushing and 3 on kickoff returns. Royal, who ...
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Senior Regan Murphy gets an RBI hit during the Lady Crusaders' win against Northside Christian on Tuesday.
Lady Crusaders topple Northside and head into second round
The Lady Crusaders softball team sent Northside Christian packing in the first round of the NCISAA playoffs after beating them 11-1 at home in Harrells on Tuesday. Northside scored their one and only run in the first inning. Harrells answered with a total of 7 runs in the top of the 1st - 2 RBIs, which were hits by Regan Murphy and Abigail Blanchard; sac bunt for RBI by Talina Giles; bunt by Mary Grace Norris; and 3 walks to take a 7-1 lead...
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Lady Raiders accomplish goals despite loss to Raleigh C.
The Lady Raider soccer team fell Wednesday night in the third round of the state playoffs to Raleigh Charter School in Raleigh. “We had a very successful season, but we ran into a team tonight that was extremely talented,” Mdway head coach Trey Apperson said after the game on the drive home from Raleigh. He said the team has worked really hard this year and he’s very proud of them. “At the beginning of the season, we set two goals and we ...
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In a game from earlier in the year, Lillie Turlington goes up against a Whiteville defender.
Clinton downs Wolfpack to move into fourth round
The Lady Dark Horses move into the fourth round of the NCHSAA state playoffs after steamrolling past Cedar Ridge and edging out rival Whiteville. Cedar Ridge came to Darkness Stadium on Saturday and Clinton sent them home with a 5-2 loss. Hannah Smith scored with a PK, and Grace Reagan and Lindsey Bass also provided a goal. Margaret Coleman found the back of the net for 2 goals. This moved them to the third round where they traveled to Wh...
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Spartans surprise Spring Creek and head to Spivey’s Corner in 3rd round
Union was once again the underdog in round two of the NCHSAA State Playoffs Tuesday evening when they played at Spring Creek. The Spartan bats got hot at just the right time and they defeated Spring Creek, 7-2. Union’s coach Josh Rackley said they are playing the best baseball that they had played in over four years. The pitching was great again, with good defense to back that up. Ryan Hall got the win from the mound for Union. He pitched...
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Raider Luke Clark catches the throw to get this Hurricane out at first. (Savanna Pope/The Sampson Independent)
Midway takes down Pamlico and moves into 3rd round
The Midway Raiders move into the third round of the 1A NCHSAA playoffs by beating the Pamlico Hurricanes on Tuesday with a final score of 11-3. They will face in-county arch rival Union on Friday at 7 p.m. The Raiders jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning, with Taylor Calcutt at 3rd and Heath Smith on 2nd base as Kyle Hawley came up to bat. He made contact, sending the two players home. Next was Luke Clark, with Hawley on 3rd, and ...
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Hobbton's catcher, Taylor Bowden, reaches for the ball on the back end of an attempted double play as a Princeton runner scores their first run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Princeton goes on to take the lead, and they knocked the Wildcats out of the playoffs with a final score of 2-0 on Tuesday. (David Johnson/The Sampson Independent)
Lady Wildcats fall in 2nd round to Princeton
It was a tough game all the way until the end, but Princeton managed to hold on to a 2-0 lead to knock the Lady Wildcats out of the second round of the NCHSAA 1A tournament. Stats from the bat showed Michaela Wilson was 1-3; Baileigh Moser, 1 walk, 1 sac bunt; Hannah Warren, 1 hit by pitch; Casey Hobbs, 1-3; and Haley Evans, 1 walk. Wildcat pitcher Grace Olson had 3 strikeouts on the night. Hobbton head coach Morgan Farroll was disappoi...
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Relay team reaches goal and medals in state finals
The Raider boys’ relay team medaled in the NCHSAA 1A track meet on Friday at Greensboro. The Midway team of Alex Boggs, Ritchel Cousar, Dalton Butler, and Caleb Sanders finished 4th in the 4x800 meter relay with a time of 8:27.74, which bested their school record. This same team improved from 12th place in 2012 and ran the relay 32 seconds faster than last year. Head track coach Brian Wallum was very proud of this team. “They worked reall...
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This is the Spartan State Champion relay team in the 400 meter. They broke the record they set at the regional competiion with a time of 43.10. Pictured in the middle is Assistant relay coach John English. Team members from left are Natrone Banks, Baysean Washington, Bakeem Murphy and Dezmond Faison. (Courtesy Photo)
Union’s boys finish first at state, break regional record
Eight Spartan competitors placed in track and field events at the NCHSAA 1A State Championship held at N.C. A&T on Friday. The boys’ relay team, made up of Natrone Banks, Baysean Washington, Bakeem Murphy and Dezmond Faison, won the state championship in the 400 relay with a time of 43.10 seconds. This beat the 43.35 record they set at the regional competition. This same relay team finished 7th in the 800 relay and finished in 5th place i...
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Dark Horses take down No. 1 team in first round
The Dark Horse baseball team pulled off the upset of the season by setting down Whiteville in the first round of the NCHSAA 2A baseball playoffs. Whiteville was ranked No. 1 in the state and defending state champions. The Wolfpack scored first in the 4th inning, but Clinton came back in the top of the 5th after Chandler Whitfield led off with a single, then moved to third on a bunt by Chris Royal, and raced home on a hit by Jake Taylor. T...
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Lighting the stadium Crews work to erect one of four new steel poles with lights attached at Hobbton High School's football stadium, replacing old, worn out ones that had been lighting the football field for years. According to Anthony Vann, executive director of auxiliary services for Sampson County Schools, said the new lights replace six old wooden poles with lights that had 'aged to the point they were no longer effective.' The county Board of Education approved the purchase of lights for Hobbton and Lakewood, where lights, too, had worn out their useful. Other than minor tweaks, work at both schools has been completed. Cost of lights at Hobbton were approximately $83,000; at Lakewood, $88,000. (Courtesy photo)
Lighting the stadium
David Johnson/Sampson Independent Crews work to erect one of four new steel poles with lights attached at Hobbton High School’s football stadium, replacing old, worn out ones that had been lighting the football field for years. According to Anthony Vann, executive director of auxiliary services for Sampson County Schools, said the new lights replace six old wooden poles with lights that had ‘aged to the point they were no longer effective.’...
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Delta golf tourney Saturday The sixth annual Golf Scholarship Tournament will be sponsoed by the Clinton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at Timberlake Golf Course Saturday, May 18. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and tee time is 8 a.m. Members of the Delta golf committee are pictured, kneeling: Tonya Colwell and Minnie Spearman; and behind them, from left: Pamela Bennett, Hazel Colwell, Katrina Boykin, Arrida Johnson, Hannah Jones, Juanita German, Blanche Boone, Vada Williams and Carol Worley. (Courtesy photo)
Delta golf tourney Saturday
Courtesy photo The sixth annual Golf Scholarship Tournament will be sponsoed by the Clinton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at Timberlake Golf Course Saturday, May 18. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and tee time is 8 a.m. Members of the Delta golf committee are pictured, kneeling: Tonya Colwell and Minnie Spearman; and behind them, from left: Pamela Bennett, Hazel Colwell, Katrina Boykin, Arrida Johnson, Hannah Jones, Jua...
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2 Wildcats finish big in track & field
Hobbton competed at the NCHSAA 1A Track & Field State Championships at North Carolina A&T University and two Wildcats finished in the top 10. Senior Jolessa Terry represented the women’s team in both the Discus & Shot Put. In discus she threw 89’11” to qualify for finals and place 9th overall. In Shot Put she placed 16th overall. Wildcat Coach Jeffery Klaves said, “I’m proud of Jolessa for qualifying for the state championships 2 years in...
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With less than a minute left to play, the Lady Raiders slip the ball past the Leopards and into the net to take the lead and the win. They move to the third round of the state playoffs. (Ruthie Pope/The Sampson Independent)
Raiders steal win in last 5 minutes
When two excellent teams go head-to-head you can expect to see great plays and unexpected turns. That’s just what the fans got when county rivals Midway and Lakewood faced off in the second round of the NCHSAA soccer playoffs at high noon in Raider stadium on Saturday. In an unusual coincidence, both teams beat a Columbus county team (East and West) by a score of 3-1 to get to this second round. Midway started the game with a strong offen...
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Raider Tyler Pope makes it safely to first base despite a stretch by South Robeson's first baseman. (Savanna Pope/The Sampson Independent)
Rally in the 5th gives Raiders the win
The Midway Raiders baseball team will advance to the second round of the NCHSAA tournament next week after taking down the South Robeson Mustangs on Friday in the first round with a score of 5-1. There was no score until the 4th inning when a Raider hit into left field brought in a run. The Mustangs answered in the top of the 5th to tie the score, but Midway rallied. A Raider hit into center field started it off by scoring one run. Th...
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Union girls fall to Dixon
Union’s softball season came to an end Friday evening after a first round playoff 5-0 loss at Dixon. The Lady Spartans had errors in the field that plagued them, and they just simply couldn’t hit the ball. Coach Doug Burley said he was proud of his team’s season, and their second place finish in the conference. Megon Smith pitched for Union, all 7 inning, allowing 5 runs, only 2 earned runs, on 6 hits, while striking out 4. Offensively ...
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Spartans upset No. 1 seed Red Springs
Union faced the top seeded team in their bracket, Red Springs, Friday night, in the Robeson team’s back yard. The Red Springs faithful had fireworks ready for their after-the-game celebration, but it turned out to be a gift to the visiting team, as Union shocked Red Springs, 5-2. It was a big night all around for the 5th seeded Spartans, starting with Tyler Mathis on the mound. Mathis pitched all 7 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits,...
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Union soccer falls in first round
Union’s soccer season ended at the hands of the number 1 seeded Princeton Tigers, at Princeton, on Wednesday night. Princeton defeated Union by a score of 3-0. There were no stats available for the game, but Spartan head coach Jonathan Taylor expressed how proud he was of his team for their turnaround this season. It was the first Lady Spartan soccer team to ever make the playoffs, and that is something he was very proud of. He was also v...
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Lady Crusaders end season with win; move on to playoffs
The Lady Crusaders ended their regular season on a high note, winning their last game this week by dominating Village Christian on Wednesday at home. No runs were scored until the bottom of the third when Daisha Jordan hit a single, then Megan Crisafulli hit an RBI double, and Cory Levings was credited with an RBI single to give the Lady Crusaders 2 runs. Village Christian managed to cross the plate in the third inning, and there was no m...
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Lady Crusaders win back and forth battle with FCS
The Lady Crusaders were able to put another notch in their belt as they defeated a spunky Fayetteville Christian School 12-7 on Monday at home. Megan Crisafulli got on base with a single in the first inning and pitcher Abigail Blanchard was able to knock her in for the first score of the night. FCS came back with 2 runs in the second inning on 2 hits and 2 errors. When it was the Crusaders turn at bat, they were able to take advantage of ...
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