Good Bandys team to test
Mountaineers here Friday

Coming off two tough games with county rivals Shelby and Burns, Kings Mountain will face another test from Bandys Friday night at John Gamble Stadium.
Bandys is off to a strong start and posted an impressive 38-19 victory over the St. Stephens Indians last week.
“They remind me a little like Burns,” Mountaineer coach Strait Herron said after watching them on film over the weekend. “They have some scrappy, hard-nosed players. Their quarterback is a playmaker. He can run and get outside. They’re very sound. They’re very sound on defense. They’re very good at what they do.”
Coach Herron said one of the big keys for the Mountaineers will be for the offense to “get guys blocked and stay on the block.
“They have some big guys up front, and three linebackers who are very active. They get to the ball quick,” he said.
Bandys is also strong on offense, he noted. “They’re a well-known team. They’ll bring a big crowd.”
The leaders of their offensive attack are Tanner Stewart, who had a career-high four rushing touchdowns last week, and quarterback Brady Swett who threw for 221 yards and a touchdown and competed 75 percent of his passes.
The Trojans’ defense has been strong as well. It puts a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback and picked off four passes in last week’s win.
“We’ve got some big games facing us,” Herron said. “We’ve got to make improvements. We have to play better.”

Screen shot 2025 09 05 at 12.05.56 pm — KM Mountaineers were the victors at Friday night’s game against Burns Bulldogs. This is their second win in the new season. (Photos by Charlie Smith and Zach Smith)

KM Mountaineers defeat Burns 40-34
to go 2-0 versus Cleveland County rivals

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers got past another tough Cleveland County foe Friday night when they defeated the Burns Bulldogs 40-34 at Burns.
With victories over two of their Cleveland County rivals (Shelby and Burns) to open the season the Mountaineers will wait until the final regular season game to face their other county rival, Crest.
The Bulldogs were blown out by Crest the week before but they gave the Mountaineers a tough battle from the get-go.
“They were missing some players versus Crest and had some players that we hadn’t seen,” said Mountaineer head coach Strait Herron. “They played extremely hard. They gave us a run for our money. They’re well coached.”
Coach Herron noted that the Mountaineers had some players hurt last week and “we’ll be a little banged up probably. But I was real pleased with our running game and the offensive line did a decent job.”
The Mountaineers were led offensively by Jarlon Drye, who finished with four rushing touchdowns.
“We had a lot of penalties but I was real pleased with our running game,” Herron added. “The offensive line did a decent job. Drye ran the ball hard and had a great game.
“I was pleased with the running game but we’ve got to complete some of those easy throws,” he noted. “We will get better with experience.”
The Mountaineers took a 6-0 lead on their first possession with quarterback KJ Bell hooking up with Tex Vaughn for a 29-yard TD. But the lead didn’t last long as Burns came right back down the field to go up 7-6.
The Mountaineers answered quickly, driving 51 yards to score on Jarion Drye’s first of four TDs, 13-7.
After recovering a Burns fumble at the Bulldogs’ 44, Bell hit William Vaughn with a pass to go up 20-7.
Burns answered quickly to cut the margin to 20-14 but Silas Tate’s pick six made it 27-14 at the half.
Burns wouldn’t go away, though, and Davis scored from five yards out to cut the margin to 27-21.
The Mountaineers answered with a 60-yard drive with Drye scoring from 20 yards out to go up 34-21. Burns later got a 37-yard field goal to make it 34-24. The Bulldogs scored on a screen pass at the 10:33 mark of the fourth quarter to make it 34-31.
The Mountaineers answered with a 69-yard drive capped by Drye’s one-yard TD to account for the final margin.
Drye led the rushing attack with 31 carries for 172 yards and four TDs. Bell finished with 12 for 19 passing for 198 yards and one TD. The passes went to four different receivers with sophomore Xavier Hutchens catching three for 66 yards, junior Devin Hopper three for 48 yards, senior Tex Vaughn with three for 46 yards and junior Isaiah Branch with three for 38 yards.

KMHS volleyball
defeats Forestview in BSC opener

Kings Mountain High’s women’s volleyball teams swept Forestview in their Big South Conference opener last week.
The varsity won 25-14, 25-10, 25-13 after the JVs won 25-12, 25-10.
The varsity was led by Camden Pasour with 29 assists, 19 serve receptions, nine service points, a kill, 14 digs and two blocks.
Denet Houey had 16 kills.
Abigail Hedgepath dished out 14 assists to go with four kills, seven kills and eight service points.
Ruby Osborne and Campbell Benton had seven kills each.
For the JVs, Avery Cruise and Elyn Phongsa stood out on offense and defense and Caroline Lane had a big offensive game. The JVs improved to 4-2 heading into a September 3 game at West Henderson.
In non-conference action last Tuesday, the varsity swept Sun Valley 25-21, 25-21 and 26-24.
Pasour had 20 serve receptions, 12 assists, 10 digs, a kill and three service points.
Denet Houey was strong along the net with 16 kills and a block.
Abigail Hedgepath dished out 20 assists to go with five digs, a kill and four service points.
Ruby Osborne had seven kills, two blocks and four service points.
Ava Tipton had 14 serve receptions, 10 digs and seven service points.
On Wednesday, the ladies swept East Lincoln with the JVs winning 25-14, 26-24 and the varsity 25-18, 25-16 and 25-15.
The JVs were led on offense and defense by Avery Cruise and Elyn Phogsa.
For the varsity, Camden Pasour had 21 serve receptions, four kills and18 assists.
Denet Houey had 13 kills and a block.
Ruby Osborne had seven kills, four service points and two blocks.
Abigail Hedgepath had 13 digs, 10 assists, two kills, nine service points and a block.
Ava Tipton added 15 digs, four serve receptions and 11 service points.
The Lady Mountaineers go to West Henderson today and will host North Gaston September 4. They are scheduled to go to Mountain Island Charter on September 8 and Ashbrook on September 9. They will host South Point on September

General admission tickets
provide access to all 15 games of the ALWS Aug. 14-19

General admission tickets for the 2025 American Legion World Series are available for purchase online.
Each general admission ticket includes admission to all 15 games of the 98th ALWS, Aug. 14-19 at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C. Tickets are available at ALWS.us for $37.89.
Day passes will be available for purchase at Keeter Stadium when the games begin.
The 98th American Legion World Series will pit eight regional champions from across the nation through four days of pool play, with the top two finishers in each division advancing to the Aug. 18 semifinals. The semifinalists will face off in the championship game on Aug. 19.

Learn More

KMHS ranked No. 1 volleyball team
in HSOT's 704 preseason rankings

HighSchoolOT's 704 Top 15 ranks Kings Mountain High School’s Volleyball Team the best of all high school volleyball teams in the greater Charlotte area. It is now considered a 6A program.
HSOT has two sets of rankings: a statewide Top 25 and top 15s for each of North Carolina's six area codes.

The 704 area code region consists of these counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, Union.

Kings Mountain, which just came off a 27-3 overall campaign last year, is the preseason No. 1 team in the 704.
Here is how the 704 teams rank:
1. Kings Mountain (27-3)
2. Marvin Ridge (34-3)
3. Weddington (17-10)
4. North Iredell (28-3)
5. Cox Mill (21-4)
6. Hough (23-7)
7. Cuthbertson (21-7)
8. Jesse Carson (27-6)
9. Charlotte Country Day (18-3)
10. Lake Norman Charter (22-3)
11. Community School of Davidson (24-5)
12. East Rowan (21-10)
13. Pine Lake Prep (20-5)
14. Highland Tech (26-2)
15. North Stanley (25-7)
That is an impressive feat and should make for an exciting season this year! According to KMHS’ Sports Website, the Kings Mountain’s Varsity Volleyball Team has its first game on Tuesday, August 26, at 6:15 p.m. at Sun Valley High School.

Grover Elementary YMCA program

Kings Mountain Family YMCA is excited to welcome students back starting August 13, 2025, through May 27, 2026. And, the YMCA is bringing after-school care directly to Grover Elementary — making it more convenient for families and fun for kids!
The program runs from school dismissal until 6:00 PM, with early dismissal included in the fee.
Important details for parents:
• Weekly Rate: $52 (same for members & non-members)
• Financial assistance is available upon request.
• Rates are adjusted if the week is shorter than 5 days.
What the Y provides:
• Homework Help
• A Healthy Snack
• Indoor & Outdoor Activities
• And much more!
• Held onsite at Grover Elementary – no need to worry about transportation!
Contact Director of Family Programs Ranata Wingo at (704) 669-3685 or wingo@clevecoymca.org, or register online at clevecoymca.org.

Fall healthcare interns available through CCS/CTE

Cleveland County Schools and Career Technical Education encourages local healthcare providers to partner with them to empower the next generation of healthcare heroes through its internship program, connecting our youth, building your workforce, strengthening our community, and shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals. Internships are offered for fall, spring, and summer semesters.
The program currently partners with 16 healthcare organizations, and students covered under CCS insurance. There is a 120-hour requirement, and students earn one credit towards graduation, offering experience and career clarity for future healthcare leaders.
If you are interested, contact Cleveland County Schools Work-Based Learning Coordinator Cortney Doster at cmdoster@clevelandcountyschools.org, calling 704-473-1592, or by visiting https://cteintern.clevelandcountyschools.org/

Clev. Co. Schools now enrolling
new students and transfers

By Loretta Cozart

On July 22, Cleveland County Schools announced that online enrollment for the 2025–2026 school year is now open.
Whether you’re enrolling a new student or transferring between CCS schools, now’s the time to get started!
Enrollment is open for:
• New students
• Students transferring to a different CCS school
The Parent Portal is currently under construction; however, you can begin the enrollment process by visiting https://goteamccs.org/enrollccs.
If you are new to the district, visit https://www.clevelandcountyschools.org/ or call (704-476-8000. School starts on August 13.

Fall into YMCA sports

By Loretta Cozart

Kings Mountain Family YMCA announces registration for Fall Sports at the Y! Sports Director Marcus Campbell shared that registration is open for children 3 – 17, for Volleyball (Girls), baseball, Flag Football, and Soccer now through September 8—members: $40, non-members: $70.
Late registration, September 9 through 13, costs more, so register early: members: $50, non-members: $80. Financial assistance is available, and Kings Mountain residents receive a discount.
Volunteer coaches are needed.
“If you have children or if you’re interested in coaching, please come into the branch and check us out,” Marquis said.
The Y’s mission is to help all people reach their God-given potential in mind, spirit, and body. Athletics helps with youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
For more information, contact Marcus Campbell at mcampbell@clevecoymca.org or 704-669-3687. For more on skills nights, parent and coaching meetings, visit www.clevecoymca.org.

CCS and GWU
2025 High School
Football Jamboree

Cleveland County Schools is pleased to announce the 2025 High School Football Jamboree, scheduled for Friday, August 8, at Spangler Stadium on the campus of Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. This annual event will bring together student-athletes, families, and the broader community for an evening of competitive high school football in a collegiate setting.
Ceveland County Schools is proud to partner with Gardner-Webb University in hosting this event. University representatives recently met with district coaches and athletic staff to finalize planning efforts, ensuring a first-class experience for all participants.
The district also extends its sincere appreciation to Sharonview Federal Credit Union, the event’s title sponsor, for their continued commitment to supporting youth programs and community engagement initiatives throughout Cleveland County.
“This event reflects the spirit of collaboration between our schools, local partners, and community supporters,” said David Pless, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, Cleveland County Schools. “We are proud to offer our students this unique opportunity to compete in a collegiate venue and thank Sharonview Federal Credit Union for their generous support.”
Event Details:
• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Location: Spangler Stadium, Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, NC
• Gates Open: 5:00 PM
• Kickoff: 6:00 PM
• Admission: Tickets will be available soon
• General Parking - $10
The evening lineup is as follows:
• 6:00 PM – Burns High School vs. Corvian Community School
• 7:00 PM – Shelby High School vs. South Mecklenburg High School
• 8:00 PM – Kings Mountain High School vs. Monroe High School
• 9:00 PM – Crest High School vs. Myers Park High School

Four Lady
Mountaineers honored

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Dive into adult swim at the KM YMCA

Ready to make a splash? Adult Swim Lessons at the Kings Mountain Family YMCA are perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to sharpen their swimming skills!
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your technique, our classes are designed for adults of all levels.
Classes run Monday through Thursday, starting at 7 p.m.
Contact the Kings Mountain Family YMCA at (704) 739-9631 for more information! It is located at 211 Cleveland Avenue, Kings Mountain. Don’t wait… dive in today! s

Sports — KMHS softball coach Kevin Cruise and players Maddie Huffman and Avery Cruise participated in the recent state games.

KMHS softball players
have good off-season

Kings Mountain High had numerous players shining in off-season competition recently.
Numerous players made the all-district team and four players competed in the state games.
Coach Kevin Cruise also served as head coach for the region in last week’s Body Armor State games. Region Six finished as the silver medalist, losing the gold medal game 1-0 in eight innings.
Participants in the state games were Maddie Huffman and Avery Cruise.
The all-district players were also announced by the NC Softball Coaches Association and numerous KM players were selected. They were Avery Cruise, Paige Fleming, Maddie Huffman, Kayla McSwain and Annie Wooten.

KM Sports Hall of Fame
38th Annual
Banquet May 17

The Kings Mountain Sports Hall of Fame will hold its thirty-eighth annual banquet and induction ceremony Saturday May 17, 2025.
Central United Methodist Church in Kings Mountain will host the event in the Christian Activity Center at 6 pm.
This year's inductees include wrestling champion Victor Bell, KMHS's all-time leading scorer in basketball Hannah Clark, one time state record holder for 3-point field goals Bryan Leftwich and a highly recruited football player from 1975 Carl Roseboro.
State Champions Will Varner and Max Thompson will be recognized along with Distinguished Service Awards to Andrew Brown and Larry McDaniel. Ten KMHS student- athletes will receive a $1,000.00 scholarship for their contributions in the classroom and on the field.
Tickets for the event are $15.00. They may be purchased at the door, at Ingrams Barber Shop in KM or from Commitee Members.

Screen shot 2025 04 10 at 11.05.30 am — Pictured L-R: CCC Athletic Director Dr. Andy Gardner, Head Coach Jabarr Adams and President Dr. Jason Hurst. (Photo provided)

Jabarr Adams named New Head Coach of Yetis Men’s Basketball

In a recent press conference , Cleveland Community College President Dr. Jason Hurst officially announced Jabarr Adams as the new Head Coach of the Yetis Men’s Basketball program. Adams succeeds former head coach Grayson Pierce.
Adams, who joined the Yetis in 2024 as Associate Head Coach, brings a dynamic blend of collegiate and high school coaching experience, coupled with a passion for mentoring student-athletes and fostering success on and off the court.
“Coach Adams is not only an exceptional coach, he is an outstanding leader and educator,” said Dr. Hurst. “His dedication to student success, both academically and athletically, aligns perfectly with the mission of Yetis Athletics and Cleveland Community College.”
Coach Adams’ coaching résumé spans over a decade, including:
• Nine years as an NCAA assistant coach, competing in top-tier conferences such as the Peach Belt and Mid-American.
• Five NCAA Division II tournament appearances.
• Development of 16 all-conference collegiate players.
• Seventeen athletes who have gone on to sign professional basketball contracts.
Before transitioning to the college ranks, Adams made a significant mark in high school basketball:
• Seven years as a head coach at West Cabarrus and Mallard Creek High Schools.
• One year as assistant head coach at Ashbrook High School.
• Ten all-conference players coached during his high school tenure.
In addition to his coaching duties, Adams serves as an instructor in the Health and Physical Education department at Cleveland Community College, further reinforcing his commitment to holistic student development.
Adams now steps into the head coach role with a clear vision for the future of Yetis Basketball.
“I’m honored and excited to lead this program,” said Adams. “We have a strong foundation and a talented group of student-athletes who are hungry to grow. My goal is to build a culture of discipline, respect, and resilience—values that extend to the classroom and far beyond the hardwood.”
As the Yetis turn the page to a new chapter, the program is poised for continued growth and competitive excellence under Adams’ leadership.
“Coach Adams has an incredible ability to connect with student-athletes and bring out the best in them—both as players and as young men,” said Andy Gardner, Athletics Director at Cleveland Community College. “His experience at every level of the game, combined with his integrity and leadership, make him the right choice to lead Yetis Men’s Basketball into its next chapter. We’re proud to have him at the helm and expect continued success in the classroom and on the court.”
Please join us in congratulating Coach Jabarr Adams on his new role as Head Coach of the Yetis Men’s Basketball team. We are excited to see where he will take the program in this new era of Yeti pride.

Lady Mountaineers whip
Cramer and Forestview

Kings Mountain High’s women’s softball team defeated Stuart Cramer and Forestview in Big South 3A Conference games last week but dropped a non-conference game to a talented West Lincoln team.
Maddie Huffman struck out 19 batters to lead the KM ladies in last Tuesday night’s win over Stuart Cramer in Cramerton.
Kayla McSwain led a 13-hit KM attack with 3-for-4 and three runs batted in. Kings Mountain amassed 13 hits with McSwain, Paige Fleming and Avery Cruise each collecting multiple hits.
Huffman threw an immaculate inning in the sixth, striking out the side on nine pitches.
The Lady Mountaineers came up one run short to a strong West Lincoln team Wednesday at home. The visitors scored five runs in the first inning to get the early jump.
Kayla McSwain homered in the bottom of the first and Paige Fleming also had a solo home run in the sixth.
Anna Wooten took the tough luck loss for the Lady Mountaineers, going three innings and striking out four. Maddie Huffman came on in relief and gave up just one hit while fanning 10 and walking none.
Avery Cruise led the Lady Mountaineers with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate and assisting in a 6-5-4 double play.
The ladies returned to conference play Friday at home and defeated Forestview 7-1. Huffman pitched a two-hitter and struck out 20 Lady Jaguars.
Huffman also had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Avery Cruise went 2-for-4 with one RBI and Dixon-Valez, Anna Wooten and Paige Fleming added a hit apiece.
KM broke a scoreless tie with a run in the fourth, five in the fifth and one in the sixth. Forestview finally scored in the seventh.
Kings Mountain was scheduled to host Ashbrook last night and is scheduled to go to South Point Thursday. After that, they will be on spring break and return to action on April 25 in a 6 p.m. contest with Crest at KMHS. The ladies will end the regular season with a home game against Hunter Huss on April 29 and a road game at North Gaston on May 2.

Mountaineers sweep Jaguars

Kings Mountain High swept Forestview 13-1 and 9-3 in games played last week.
The Mountaineers broke a 1-1 tie with six runs in the second inning to break open Tuesday’s contest. KM finished with six runs in the fourth and sixth innings.
The Mountaineers outhit the Jaguars 12-4.
Carter Roberts led the Mountaineers at the plate. He went 3-for-3, including five runs batted in and a home run.
Lawson Kennedy was 2-for-4 with a triple and three runs batted in. Austyn Clark was 2-for-3 with a double.
Luke Heavner went 2-for-5. Jordan Buchanan was 1-for-2 with a double, Luke Heavner 2-for-5, KB Richards 1-for-2 and Wesley Turner 1-for-4.
Gavyn Manson pitched one inning, fanning three, and Wesley Turner worked the final five innings. He gave up just four hits and struck out eight.
Benjamin Denton had four of Forestview’s hits.
In Friday’s game, the Mountaineers were led by KJ Bell and Luke Heavner with two hits each. Cole Groves had a hit and two runs batted in and Carter Roberts, Vance Johnson and Lawson Kennedy had a hit apiece.
Manson worked two innings and fanned four. KJ Bell pitched five innings and allowed just two hits while fanning eight.

Sports News

KM bombs Huss 25-0
Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and went on to defeat Hunter Huss 25-0 in a 4 ½ inning Big South Conference game last Tuesday at Lancaster Field.
The Mountaineers added six runs in the second inning, five in the third and five in the fourth and outhit the Huskies 19-1.
Gavyn Manion pitched four innings for the Mountaineers. He gave up three hits and struck out nine.
Wesley Turner went 3-for-3 with four runs batted in and Cole Groves went 3-for-3 with three runs and one RBI.
Austyn Clark was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs. KJ Bell went 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI.
Carter Roberts was 1-for-2 with four runs and two RBIs, and Lawson Kennedy was 1-for-5 and two RBIs.

KM High softball wins 6th straight
Kings Mountain defeated Cherryville in six innings Wednesday.
It was the sixth straight victory for the Lady Mountaineers.
Maddie Camp led the hitting with 3-for-4, including her first career home run.
Paige Fleming added a two-run home run in the top of the third inning.
Anna Wooten, Avery Cruise, Fleming and Camp all collected multiple hits for the Lady Mountaineers.
Maddie Huffman continued to dominate in the circle. She worked all six innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out 18.

Smith, Bell no-hit Huss in 12-0 win
Kings Mountain High pitchers Aiden Smith and KJ Bell combined for a no-hitter in a 12-0 victory over Hunter Huss Friday.
Smith worked two innings and recorded three strikeouts and freshman Bell hurled five innings with eight strikeouts. The three Huss base runners got aboard on walks.
Kings Mountain got off to a 3-0 start in the top of the first inning and added two each in the third, fourth and fifth and three in the seventh.
The Mountaineers stole 13 bases, including four by Carter Roberts, two each by Cole Groves, Luke Heavner and Vance Johnson and one each by Jordan Buchanan, Lyric Phonephet and Wesley Turner.

Huffman fans 17 in KM win
Kings Mountain High’s women’s softball team shutout South Point 6-0 in a Big South 3A Conference game last week.
Maddie Huffman was dominant in the circle with 17 strikeouts. She allowed just three hits over seven innings.
The Lady Mountaineers were led on offense by Huffman and Kayla McSwain. The ladies accumulate nine walks on the evening by showing great plate discipline.

KM golfers finish third
Kings Mountain finished third in a Big South Conference golf match last week at Kings Mountain Country Club.
Stuart Cramer won the event with a 292 score, followed by South Point at 325 and KM at 332. Crest was fourth at 346 followed by Forestview 354, North Gaston 432, Ashbrook 448 and Hunter Huss 472.
Thomas Spicer led the Mountaineers with an even par 72. Josh Gillespie shot 74, Noah Rhodes 93, Joseph Johnson 93 and Grant Moorehead 95.
The Mountaineers were scheduled to play Tuesday at Lincolnton Country Club.

Mountaineers Defeat Ashbrook
Kayla McSwain collected 3 hits in 3 at bats as the Mountaineers defeated Ashbrook 19-0. Anna Wooten earned the win for the mountaineers in the circle allowing 1 hit and zero runs over 3 innings of work striking out 5 and walking none. The Mountaineers piled up 10 hits on the evening McSwain and Avery Cruise led the charge with 3 hits on the night, as well as Priscilla Medina going 2 for 2 at the plate with 2 RBI’s. Next up for Kings Mountain are the Red Raiders of South Point at home on Tuesday night.

KM baseball loses to SC
Kings Mountain fell to South Caldwell 6-1 last week in a non-conference baseball game.
South Caldwell broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning and put three insurance runs on the board in the sixth.
Wesley Turner hurled all six innings for the Mountaineers. He gave up eight hits and struck out four.
Aiden Smith and KJ Bell each had a hit for the Mountaineers.

KM tennis sweeps Huss
Kings Mountain High’s tennis team opened Big Souith Conference play last week with two wins over Hunter Huss and one over North Gaston.
The Mountaineers swept Huss 9-0 in both outings and edged North Gaston 5-4.
Singles winners over Huss were Tristan Wright, Dom Allen, Carter Jarvis, Aidan Robinson, Joey Safrit and Marquise Thomas and doubles winners were Wright and Allen, Jarvis and Robinson and Safrit and Thomas.
In the second meeting with Huss, winners were Wright, Allen, Jarvis, Robinson, Safrit and Elijah Propst.
Against North Gaston, singles winners were Wright, Allen, Jarvis, Safrit and Thomas.
Doubles winners were Allen and Robinson and Safrit and Thomas.

KM YMCA Basketball

Screen shot 2025 03 20 at 11.10.32 am — These players on the Girl’s League pause for a photo after the game.

Screen shot 2025 03 20 at 11.10.38 am — The coach takes a moment to talk to the team. Photos KM Family YMCA

KM YMCA winter
basketball game scores

Kings Mountain Family YMCA finished its weekly winter basketball games from January 28 to February 1 and posted the following scores.

1/28/2025
(13-15)

The Glazers 38
The Rizzlers 36

KMMS 62
The Bulls 43

No limit 33
Team Strike out 30

1/30/2025
(9-10)

Knicks 27
Cheetahs 9

Warriors 19
Hurricanes 16

(11-12)
Hornets 37
Aces 23

No Mistake 33
The Nets 20

2/1/2025
(5/6)

Team Stitch 16
Team Blue Devils 32

Basketball Bears 14
Cheetahs 8

(Girls 10-12)

KM Flamez -32
Shelby Burns- 8

(Girls 7-8)

Team Starz-26
Team Heart 18

(7-8 Boys)

Mounties 14
Underdogs-16

Team Dynamite 18
Hornets- 38

(9/10)

Hurricanes 27
Cheetahs 12

Bucks 18
Knicks 11
(13-15)

KMMS Girls 69
76ers- 63

No Limit 27
The Glazers 54

KMMS Boys 57
The Rizzlers 53

Kings Mountain
shines at 11th Annual Mountaineer Relays

On Wednesday, March 12, Kings Mountain High School hosted the 11th annual Mountaineer Relays, welcoming talented teams from Ashbrook, North Gaston, Northwest Cabarrus, Shelby, and Statesville High Schools. Both the Mountaineer men's and women's track and field teams delivered impressive performances in front of a home crowd.
The Mountaineer men's team stayed undefeated on the season, turning in a dominant team victory with 118.5 points, outpacing second place Shelby by 32 points. Multiple athletes stepped up in nearly every event on the track and in the field.
Senior Max Thompson was named Mountaineer of the Meet for his outstanding effort and versatility, contributing a total of 32 points across four grueling events. Thompson ran the lead leg of the winning 4x400m relay, the third leg in the record-breaking distance medley relay, anchored the second place 4x800m relay, and ran the third leg in the fourth place sprint medley relay.
Two school records fell during the relays:
Distance Medley Relay (11:49.06, first place, new school record):
David Johnson (1200m), Jayden Gash (400m), Max Thompson (800m), Isaiah Watts (1600m)
Sprint Medley Relay (1:39.26, fourth place, new school record):
Jayden Williams (100m), Travis Padgett (100m), Barry Moore (200m), Max Thompson (400m)
Other notable performances on the track:
First place: 110m Hurdles: Tyler McIntyre.
First place, 4x400m Relay: Max Thompson, David Johnson, Isaiah Watts, Jayden Gash.
First place: 4x200m Relay: Barry Moore, Travis Padgett, Darreon Dixon, Jayden Williams.
Second place: 4x100m Relay: Barry Moore, Quashard Ingram, Tyler McIntyre, Jayden Williams.
Second place: 4x800m Relay: Luis Cedillo, Luke Howell, Isaiah Watts, Max Thompson.
Second place: 4x100m Throwers’ Relay: Josiah Hill, Jamel Lee, Tristian Pressley, Eli Lipscomb
Field events:
First place: Pole Vault: Colton Willyoung.
Second place: High Jump: J’myun Huskey.
Second place: Long Jump: Barry Moore.
Second place: Triple Jump and 3rd in Long Jump: Tyler McIntyre.
Third place: Shot Put: Josiah Hill.
Final team scores (Women’s Division):
Kings Mountain – 118.5 points
Shelby – 86.5 points
Ashbrook – 62 points
Northwest Cabarrus – 56 points
North Gaston – 47 points
Statesville – 44 points
Lady Mountaineers earn third place with multiple event wins and podium finishes
The Lady Mountaineers earned a third place team finish, racking up 85 points, just behind strong teams from Northwest Cabarrus (122 points) and Statesville (97 points).
Senior London Brown was named Lady Mountaineer of the Meet after claiming 1st place in the High Jump, now just 2 inches away from breaking a school record set in 1993. London also competes as a key member of the 4x200m relay team, along with running the 200m dash and participating in long jump, making her an integral part of the squad.
Highlight performances for the Lady
Mountaineers included:
1st Place: Throwers’ 4x100m Relay: Addison Burris, Rihanna Roseboro, Reagan Phillips, Taylor Sengsavang
2nd Place: Distance Medley Relay (1200m-400m-800m-1600m): Tippy Johnsonbaugh, Brooke Waseman, Isabella Symonds, Kallie Hope
2nd Place: 4x800m Relay: Kallie Hope, Kinley Putnam, Tippy Johnsonbaugh, Isabella Symonds
1st Place: High Jump: London Brown
1st Place: Pole Vault: Alanna Snelson
2nd Place, Pole Vault: Kinley Putnam
Alanna Snelson’s additional standout finishes:
3rd in High Jump
3rd in Triple Jump
4th in Shot Put
Final team scores (Women):
Northwest Cabarrus – 122 points
Statesville – 97 points
Kings Mountain – 85 points
Shelby – 55 points
Ashbrook – 48 points
North Gaston – 6 points

Mountaineers
roll Wave 6-3

Kings Mountain High’s baseball team opened Big South Conference play last week with a 12-2 victory over the Ashbrook Green Wave.
The Mountaineers were led at the plate by Lyric Phonephet with 2-for-3 and two runs batted in and freshman Jordan Buckner with 2-for-3 and one RBI.
Carter Roberts, Cole Groves, Lawson Kennedy and Luke Heavner had a hit apiece. Roberts and Groves each drove in two runs.
Sophomore Gavyn Manion went the distance on the mound. He struck out five.

Bell, Mountaineers
beat Ashbrook 13-3

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers scored eight runs in the first inning and rolled to a 13-3 victory over Gastonia Ashbrook Friday. The game ended after five innings on the 10-run rule.
KJ Bell went four innings to get the win. He struck out five and allowed just one hit while fanning six. He also collected two hits in three trips to the plate, including a three-run double.
Aiden Smith pitched the final inning, giving up just one hit.
Luke Heavner went 4-for-5, including a double.
Carter Roberts was 1-for-2 with a three-run double.
Brayden Parson scored two runs.
Wesley Turner went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and Lyric Phonephet went 1-for-3.
The Mountaineers were scheduled to host Hunter Huss Tuesday and will go to South Caldwell Thursday for a 6:30 contest. They will go to Hunter Huss March 21 at 5 p.m. and host North Gaston March 25 at 7 p.m.

Mountaineers dominate first track and field meet

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers dominated its outdoor track and field season opener last week with a 60-point victory. The KM ladies took second place highlighted by a new school record by Alanna Snelson in the pole vault.
Snelson vaulted 10’6” to surpass her own 9’6” mark set in 2024. She was also first in the triple jump with a personal best 32 feet even, third in the shot put with her personal best 25’8.5” and third in the high jump.
Other top performers for the KM ladies were:
-Reagan Smith, third in the 100 meter hurdles.
-The 4x200 relay team of Brooke Waseman, Amya Hennion-Adams, Kienna Ellis and London Brown, second place.
-4x800 relay team of Sarah Eagle, Kallie Hope, Kinley Putnam and Hailey Freeman, third place.
-Lz’zya Byrd, second in the triple jump.
-Kinley Putnam, second in the pole vault.
-London Brown, third in the long jump.
The men dominated from start to finish, winning with 184 points. Tristian Pressley was named Mountaineer for the Meet for his outstanding performance in the field events, which included first in the long jump with a personal best 19’9” jump; third in the triple jump (a personal best 38’10”, fifth in the high jump and sixth in the shot put.
Other standouts included:
-Colton Willyoung, first in the pole vault with a 13 feet even personal best, and fourth in the high jump with a personal best of 13’7” which narrowly missed a school record.
-Isaiah Watts, first in the 1600 meter run, part of the winning 4x400 meter relay team and third in the 4x800 meter relay.
-Max Thompson, ran the lead leg of the winning 4x400 relay and was second in the 800m and fifth in the 400m.
-David Johnson, a member of the 4x400 meter relay, third with a personal best in the 800 meters, and fifth in the 1600 meters.
-Jayden Gash, was the anchor in the winning 4x400 meter relay team, second in the 400 meters and part of the fifth place 4x200 meter relay team.
-Tyler McIntyre was third in the 100 meter hurdles, fourth with a personal best in the 300 meter hurdles, second in the triple jump and fifth in the lnog jump.
-J’myun Huskey, third in the high jump with a personal best 5’8”.
-Joakim Shorts, third in the pole vault with a 10’6” vault which was three feet over his previous best, and an impressive fifth in the 400 meter dash, winning his heat in his debut at the distance.
“Both teams demonstrated toughest and resilence in cold and windy conditions, overcoming adversity to post multiple personal records, event wins and a school record,” said Coach Haley Spearman. “With such a strong start to the season, the Kings Mountain track and field teams are poised for continued success as they move into the heart of the outdoor schedule. Congratulations to all athletes on a great opening meet.

KMHS track teams compete
in WNC Polar Bear meet

The Kings Mountain Indoor Track & Field team traveled to Western North Carolina on Saturday, February 1st, to compete in the WNC Polar Bear Championship. The two-venue meet began at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, NC, where athletes competed in the 55m Dash, 55m Hurdles, and all field events. The competition then moved to Polk County High School in Columbus, NC, for the remaining track events. With 25 teams in attendance, the Mountaineers delivered an outstanding performance, setting 18 new personal records (PRs) and tying one PR.
Lady Mountaineers Standout Performances Leading the way for the Lady Mountaineers was Alanna Snelson, who secured a 1st place finish in the Pole Vault. The 4x200m Relay team of Princess Strain, Brooke Waseman, Amya Hennion-Adams, and Kieanna Ellis also made a strong showing, finishing in 3rd place.
Mountaineer Men Claim 2nd Place Overall The Mountaineer Men had an exceptional day, finishing 2nd among all competing teams. Key performances included:
• Tyler McIntyre: 2nd place in both the 55m Hurdles and Triple Jump
• Jayden Williams: 2nd place in the 55m Dash
• 4x200m Relay Team (Barry Moore, Jayden Williams, Tyler McIntyre, Travis Padgett): 2nd place
• Barry Moore: 3rd place in the 300m Dash
With a strong showing across multiple events, Kings Mountain continues to make a name for itself in the indoor track & field circuit. The team looks forward to building on this momentum as they prepare for the upcoming NCHSAA 3A State Indoor Championship and outdoor season.

Mountaineers fall
to Ashbrook 84-66

Kings Mountain fell big to unbeaten Big South leader Ashbrook 84-66 last week.
KM kept the game close in the first half, trailing by just 20-17 after the first quarter and 32-28 at the half but a 30-19 third quarter Ashbrook advantage put the game on ice.
KM was down by just 52-47 late in the third before the Green Wave went on a 10-0 run to put it out of reach.
The Lady Mountaineers fell in the opener, 60-32. Ashbrook led 15-10 after the first quarter, 33-16 at the half and 49-25 going into the final chapter.
In another BSC game last week, the Mountaineers defeated Stuart Cramer 82-58. Kee’donn Linney and Christian Hill scored 3 points each, Silas Tate had 12 points and six assists and Xavier Hutchens scored 11 points.
Cramer won the girls game 62-18. KM was down 30-5 after the first quarter, 49-10 at the half and 58-14 going into the fourth period.
In a non-conference game last week, the Mountaineers defeated Burns 59-16.
KM trailed 16-9 after the first period but rallied to go ahead 30-27 at the half. Burns rallied in the third quarter and took a 46-37 lead into the final quarter.

GRLS GAMES
KM (18) – Miller 3, Pettis 2, Byrd 4, Dixon-Velez 4, Williams 5.
SC (62) – McDowell 1, Hall 6, Womack 18, Holland 24, Humphrey 9, Floyd 4
KM (32) – Miller 8, Martin 7, Pettis 8, Byrd 3, Dixon-Velez 2, Williams 4.
AB (60) -Jackson 3, Hayes 2, Morales 2, Hardin 16, McDowell 4, Miller 13, Sadler 18, Sumter 1.
BOYS GAMES
KM (59) – Daniel 23, Tate 14, Linney 12, Hutchens 6, Clinton 3, Huskey 1.
Burns (54) – Beam 16, Putnam 11, Clay 8, McGowan 7, Surratt 5, Poole 4, Self 3.

KM Mountaineers maul North Gaston 102-74, ladies get first Big South Conference win 45-32

Kings Mountain High’s basketball teams swept North Gaston last week in a Big South 3A Conference twinbill.
The Mountaineers joined the 100-point club with a 102-74 win over the Wildcats after the Lady Mountaineers posted their first BSC win with a 45-32 victory.
Four of the five Mountaineer starters hit double figures, led by Kee’donn Linney with 27 points. Ethan Daniel added 24, J’Myun Huskey 17 and Silas Tate 13.
Markell Carothers led the Wildcats with 25 points and Jalen Howard had 19.
The Mountaineers led by just 23-17 after the first quarter and 49-43 at halftime. They began pulling away with a 27-point third quarter that put them up 76-61 heading into the final chapter.
The Lady Mountaineers jumped out front 12-7 in the first quarter and led 23-21 at the half and 36-25 going into the fourth quarter.
Byrd and Dixon-Velez led the scoring with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
GIRLS GAME
KM (45) – Miller 9, Pettis 6, Byrd 14, Ford 1, Dixon-Velez 11, Williams 2, Symonds 2.
NG (32) – White 9, Holmes 6, Watkins 14, Ortiz 3.
BOYS GAME
KM (102) – Linney 27, Daniel 24, Huskey 17, Tate 13, McClain 6, Hill 5, Clinton 4, Charles 4, Spicer 2.
NG (74) – Carothers 25, Howard 19, Cunningham 10, Mason 9, Hill 6, Rivera 5.

KM Mountaineers
edge Jaguars 65-61

Kings Mountain High’s varsity basketball teams split a Big South doubleheader with Forestview Friday. The Lady Mountaineers’ 54-34 loss in the opener was followed by a 65-61 Mountaineer victory in the nightcap.
Kee’donn Linney led the Mountaineers with 28 points. J’Myun Huskey added 14 and Ethan Daniel 10.
Forestview jumped out to a 16-3 first quarter lead in the girls game and was up 37-20 at the half and 51-29 going into the fourth period.
GIRLS GAME
KM (34) – Martin 15, Byrd 9, Dixon-Velez 7, Williams 3.
FV (54) – Thompson 12, Iyerbele 5, Neely 7, Baker 1, Springs 3, McCorkle 26.
BOYS GAME
KM (65) – Linney 28, Huskey 14, Daniel 10, Tate 9, Hutchens 2, Jarrett 2.
FV (61) – Hart 21, Helton 16, Rybczyk 10, Young 10, Patton 2, Thompson 2.

KM Middle basketball
unbeaten in conference play

Kings Mountain Middle School’s Patriots remained undefeated in conference play and ran its overall record to 4-1 with wins last week over North Lincoln and West Lincoln.
Coach Shane Cole’s Patriots were 3-0 in the East Division and 4-1 overall heading into a game against East Lincoln yesterday. They host Burns on Thursday.
The Patriots defeated North Lincoln 46-23 on Monday.
The Pats took a 4-0 lead as King Moore took Amir Parker’s opening tip in for a layup; and two possessions later when Antonio Gomez’s pass found a wide-open Moore for his second layup of the quarter.
Gomez’s three from a Carlos Boyce pass closed out the scoring 8-8 at the end of the first period.
KM picked up its defensive intensity, holding North to just one field goal in the second period. Kavion Byers’ two steals helped KM extend its lead to 18-11 at the half. Boyce led the first half scoring with seven points.
KM went on a 13-2 run to start the second half and increase the lead to 33-17. Parker’s and Moore’s three pointers led the way.
The fourth quarter saw seven Patriots get into the action. Myles Parks and Aja Fagan led the team on a 13-6 run to account for the final score.
KM had 10 assists and a season-high 15 steals. KM’s role players once again came through with 12 points.
“This was the best defensive game we played all year,” Coach Cole noted. “To have 15 steals as a team means everyone is making an effort.”
The Patriots followed that victory with a 56-7 win over West Lincoln.
After West scored the first basket, KM’s Kavion Byers sparked a 16-0 run as KM ended the quarter up 16-2. The Pats were 7 for 10 inside the arc.
KM continued its offensive onslaught by scoring the next 13 points to go up 29-2. Myles Parks (two steals) and Desmond Noland (three rebounds and a steal) led the run as 10 Pats scored in the first half for a 33-4 lead.
In the third period, the Pats starting five scored six quick points before going to the role players. Carlos Boyce, Amir Parker and Gomez rounded out the lead to 39-4 heading into the fourth quarter.
During the fourth period the visitors finished on a 13-3 run as eight Patriots finished off the scoring. Jaden Byrd hit the only three of the night. Mani Andeson had two points and two assists during the run for the final score of 56-7.
Kavion Byers scored 10 points on four for six shooting and also had five rebounds and three steals.
Carlos Boyce had seven points on 3 for 4 shooting to go with four boards and two steals.
Bryce Wilson had six points on 3 for 4 shooting and also had three rebounds and two assists. Jaden Byrd scored five points, King Moore four, Amir Parker four points on 2 for 2 shooting, Myles Parks four points on 2 for 2 shooting, four boards, three assists and one blocked shot; Antonio Gomez four points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals; Aja Fagon four points, Mani Anderson two points, three assists and two steals, and Elijah Long two points.
KM shot 25 for 45 from inside the arc, had a season high 15 assists and 18 steals, and 33 rebounds. All 12 KM players scored and reserves scored 33 points.
Offensive Player of the Week was King Moore with 16 points on five for five shooting, and four steals.
Defensive Player of the Week was Myles Park with six points on three for three shooting, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot; and Kavion Byers with 12 points on 5 for 8 shooting, 10 rebounds, five steals and a blocked shot.
Sixth Men of the Week were Ajay Fagan with six points and three rebounds; Desmond Nolan with four points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots; and Mani Anderson with two points, two boards, three assists and two steals.
“We had a total team effort with all 11 players contributing,” said Coach Cole. “We are starting to come together.”
KM was 3-0 and in first place in the East Division and 4-1 overall heading into this week’s game.
Making its season debut, the KM fifth quarter team won 11-2. Leading the way was King McClain with five points on two for three shooting and two steals. Bryce Wilson had four points and six rebounds, TJ Dawkins scored two points and Kherian Little and Michael Rice played solid defense. The team hit five of 10 shots inside the arc.

Kings Mountain shines in Polar Bear Meet

Kings Mountain High’s track and field teams delivered dominant performances in the 2025 KM Polar Bear Meet Wednesday.
Competing against Ashbrook, Burns, Davidson Day and Hunter Huss, both the KM men’s and women’s teams showcased their strength and determination despite less than ideal weather conditions.
The Lady Mountaineers had a tremendous day, securing nine first place finishes, six second places and achieving several personal records from six individuals.
Alanna Snelson was a standout, contributing an amazing 28 points. She earned top spots in the pole vault and high jump and was second in the shot put.
Jaylee Woodward finished first in the 55 meter hurdles with a personal record, second in the long jump with a personal record, and third in the high jump. She totaled 24 points.
Sarah Eagle finished first in the 3200 meters, 1600 meters and as part of the 4x800 relay team, earning 22.5 points.
The Lady Mountaineers decisively outpaced their competition with a final team score of 166 points. Ashbrook finished with 53, Burns 38, and Davidson Day and Hunter Huss did not score.
The KM men dominated as well with 132 points. Ashbrook finished with 71, Huss 34, Davidson Day 33 and Burns 13.
Reigning 3A state 800 meter champion Max Thompson and two other Mountaineer standouts, Isiah Watts and David Johnson, were competing in the VA Showcase in Virginia Beach over the weekend. The next scheduled meet is February 1 when the Mountaineers will compete in Polk County High’s WNC championship.

ALWS Bat Kids wanted for 2025

By Loretta Cozart

Get ready to step up to the plate! The American Legion World Series Executive Committee is on the hunt for awesome kids to be the official bat boys and bat girls for the 2025 ALWS! If you’re between the ages of 10 and 12 as of August 1, 2025, this is your chance to shine! Don’t strike out—make sure to get your application in by April 15, 2025!
All applicants are required to play in an organized baseball or softball program for the 2025 season. (Little League, Dixie, City Parks, and Recreation program). Bat kids are determined by a live drawing held on Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium during the Wake Forest vs Appalachian State game on April 29, 2025. There are a total of 16 bat kids and 2-4 alternates drawn for these prestigious roles. (The Executive Committee reserves the right to appoint two bat kids before the drawing) Bat kids can apply and serve for multiple years if their name is selected, provided they fulfill the age and application criteria.
The American Legion World Series action happens August 14-19, 2025, at Keeter Stadium, located on the Shelby High School campus. Bat kids play a crucial role in supporting the players and coaches. Some of their duties involve:
• Retrieving bats left in the dugout or on the field
• Collecting arm and shin guards dropped by batters
• Participating in team pregame warm-ups as directed by the coach
Being a bat kid is an honor. With this honor comes big responsibility and a huge time commitment. The fun kicks off Sunday before the games begin and continues through the series end. Out-of-town families are required to send proof of hotel accommodation during the series to ensure availability for participation. Two Bat Kids are assigned to each team and will remain with that team throughout their team’s eligibility. (Each team is guaranteed at least three games).
There is no application process for Shaggers. Shaggers are typically boys and girls 13 years old or older as of August 1, 2025, who have previously served as bat kids and have demonstrated exemplary skills/knowledge/leadership and safety awareness of being on the baseball diamond. Shaggers are selected by committee and are contacted separately from the applicants for bat kids.
Jean and Chris Horne coordinate the bat kids and shaggers each year. Jean Horne says their experience is as memorable as the experiences of the boys and girls. “The players become like big brothers to some of the bat boys/girls and continue their friendship even after the World Series, through social media. We hope some of these players will make it to the big leagues and that many of the bat kids’ dreams will be realized as well.”
The application for bat kids can be found on the ALWS website, www.alws.us, and on the ALWS Facebook page. Questions can be directed to the ALWS office at 704-466-3103. (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM weekdays)

Mountaineers
beat East,
lose to Gaston Day

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers split their first two games in their annual Holiday Tournament and were scheduled to take on Palisades in the final round Monday.
The Mountaineers defeated East Rutherford 75-24 in the opening round before falling to Gaston Day 66-59.
Kee’donn Linney led the scoring against East Rutherford with 20 points. Ethan Daniel added 14.
J’Mun Huskey scored 17 and Linney 13 in the loss to Gaston Day. Braylen Todd led the winners with 18.
The Mountaineers will resume regular season play at Shelby on Friday. They begin Big South 3A Conference play at Ashbrook on January 7 and will host Hunter Huss on January 10.

Mountaineers fall to Robinson,
end season with a 9-3 record

J.M. Robinson scored on its opening possession and rolled to a 41-14 victory over Kings Mountain in the second round of the state 3A playoffs Friday night at Robinson.

The loss ended Kings Mountain’s season with a 9-3 record. The Mountaineers were Big South 3A Conference co-champions with the South Point Red Raiders who also fell out of the playoffs last week with their second loss of the year to Gastonia Ashbrook.
Robinson returned a fumble for another TD to go up 13-0 after the first period, then scored again twice more in the second quarter for a 27-0 halftime lead.
The Mountaineers got a touchdown reception by Tex Vaughn to cut the margin to 27-7 with just over a minute left in the third period.
Eli Lipscomb caught a TD pass for a 22-yard TD to cut the margin to 27-14 but Robinson scored twice more to put the win in the bag.
Robinson advances against a powerful Greensboro Dudley team this week. Ashbrook and Crest will continue as the only BSC teams still in the running for a state crown.

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Screen shot 2024 11 26 at 3.58.57 pm — Carter Roberts has signed to play baseball with North Carolina A&T. Pictured front row L-R: Mandy Roberts (mother), Carter Roberts, Rickson Roberts (father). Back row L-R: Trey Robinson (Asst. Principal), Wil Sellers (KM Coach), Hudson Roberts (brother) and Matt Bridges (Athletic Director).

Roberts signs to play with NC A&T

Carter Roberts has signed to play baseball with North Carolina A&T. Pictured front row L-R: Mandy Roberts (mother), Carter Roberts, Rickson Roberts (father). Back row L-R: Trey Robinson (Asst. Principal), Wil Sellers (KM Coach), Hudson Roberts (brother) and Matt Bridges (Athletic Director).

Screen shot 2024 11 22 at 1.27.26 pm — KMHS head coach Strait Herron talks to his players after a big win over East Lincoln Friday night at Gamble Stadium in the opening round of the NCHSAA 3A playoffs. Kings Mountain travels to Jay M. Robinson Friday for a tough second round match. Photo by Charlie Smith

Kings Mountain advances with win over East Lincoln,
travels Friday to face a super talented Jay M. Robinson

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers cleared their first hurdle in the NCHSAA 3A football playoffs Friday night at John Gamble Stadium, defeating East Lincoln’s Mustangs 38-28 but they will face a much bigger challenge Friday night when they travel to Jay M. Robinson for a 7 p.m. second round contest.
The Mountaineers trailed the Mustangs for most of the first half last week but scored on a Josiah Hill touchdown and Matt Rhom PAT with 20 seconds left in the second quarter to tie things up at 21-21.
The Mountaineers added two TDS in the third period to open a 35-21 lead that the Mustangs couldn’t overcome.
“It was a big win against a good team,” noted Coach Strait Herron. “I’m really proud of our players. We made some defensive mistakes early. We had to play four quarters and I was really pleased with our players. We lost our defensive end Semaj Odems in practice last week with a broken leg. That hurt us and will hurt us down the road. It was a good win even without him and I am proud of our effort.”
The visitors took a 7-0 lead on their first possession after stopping the Mountaineers at the East 17 yard line. A steady dose of running by Chris Daley, who gained 32 yards in six carries, set up an eight-yard pass reception by Jaxon Dollar at the 3:33 mark of the first period.
Kings Mountain took advantage of two pass interference penalties and got a 15-yard touchdown pass from TJ Armstrong to Josiah Hill, followed by a Matt Rhom PAT, to tie the score at 7-all.
That score stood until the end of the first period but the visitors scored again on a touchdown reception by Jalen Fletcher-McClain to go back up 14-7.
William Vaughn returned the ensuing kickoff to the KM 42 and eight plays later Armstrong scored from two yards out and Rhom added another PAT to tie things up at 14-all. After a change of possession the Mustangs scored with 1:10 left in the half on a reception by Javon Dollar for a 21-14 lead.
Kings Mountain answered quickly, though, driving 63 yards to tie the game on a 13-yard reception by Hill and Rhom’s point after with 20 seconds left in the half. Along the way Vaughn caught three passes for 19 yards, Jayden Gash one for two, Antonio Armstrong one for 24 and Josiah Hill one for 13 and the TD. Rhom’s PAT sent the teams to the halftime break at 21-all.
Kings Mountain’s defense came up big in the second half and so did the offense. After the D held the visitors to a three and out to open the third period, the Mountaineers drove 74 yards and ate more than 10 minutes off the clock to take the lead for good at 28-21 on a five-yard run by Armstrong. Hill had an 11-yard run and freshman Xavier Hutchens had a big catch for 14 yards to get things going. Hill would carry the ball seven times for 40 yards, Gash carried twice for 16 yards and Armstrong went the final five yards for the TD. Rhom added the PAT.
KM’s defense got some big stops from Eli Lipscomb, Jayden Gash and others and the visitors had to punt the ball away. The punt went for just five yards and the Mountaineers took over at the East 44. A 32-yard pass reception by Hutchens gave the Mountaineers a first down at the eight yard line and two runs by Hill and Rhom’s PAT put the Mountaineers ahead 35-21 with 14.1 seconds left in the third.
A Lipscomb interception in the end zone at the 10:53 mark of the fourth quarter set up a long KM drive that didn’t end with a touchdown but did take almost six minutes off the fourth quarter clock. Taking over at the 4:19 mark, the Mustangs were able to get off a four-play drive sandwiched around a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty and Beam scored from 27 yards out to cut the margin to 35-28.
Antonio Armstrong recovered an onside kick at the East Lincoln 49 and KM ran the clock down to 1:09 before Rhom came on to kick a 32-yard field goal to end the scoring. Along the way Hill carried the ball four times for 34 yards to set up.
Quarterback sacks by Eli Lipscomb and Lathan Feemster secured the win. Lipscomb would finish with 16 tackles and Feemster 11. Antonio Armstrong came very close to double-digit tackles with nine.
“They had us down 21-14 with 1:10 left in the half and our offense goes seven plays in 50 seconds and tied the game. That gave us momentum going into the second half,” Coach Herron said. “In the second half we got some big plays from freshman Xavier Hutchens who had two big catches (for 46 yards) to keep a drive going and we got a field goal to seal it.”
Hill finished with 182 yards rushing on 22 carries and also caught three passes for 30 yards. Armstrong hit 12 of 22 passes for 115 yards and two TDs.
Herron said the Roberson offense will be a huge challenge for the KM defense.
“Their quarterback is really good and they’ve only had one loss in two years,” he noted. “One of the keys for us will be the defense stepping up and getting stops. Last week we gave up three easy touchdowns. We can’t do that.
“Our offense needs to control the game and get first downs. East Lincoln did give us some problems but our players stuck it out and I’m really proud of them.”

Mountaineers end BSC with win at North,
host East Lincoln Friday in state 3A playoffs

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers defeated the North Gaston Wildcats 54-6 Friday night in Dallas to complete their regular season as Big South Conference co-champions with the South Point Red Raiders.
The Mountaineers will begin the 3A state championship playoffs Friday night at home against an old nemesis, East Lincoln, at 7:30 p.m. at John Gamble Stadum.
The Mustangs have been a thorn in the Mountaineers side several times in the past but Coach Strait Herron hopes his troops will come out fired up and ready to put the Mustangs back in the stable.
“East Lincoln came down here and beat us in 2020-21,” Herron recalled. “They’ve got a good team. This is a tough draw for a first round game. They’re 7-3 and a pretty good football team. Their quarterback throws the ball well and they have several good receivers. They’re good on defense, too.
“I just think, number one, we have to have good pass coverage. That’s going to be a big factor.
“This is going to be a good challenge. They have a good receiver who is hard to stop.
“We’ve got to score points and keep the ball away from them.”
The winner of this game will have another tough test next week against the winner of the Robinson and Northeast Guilford game.
“AC Reynolds and Dudley are also in our bracket, so we have a pretty tough road ahead of us,” Herron said. “But we’ve got to get this one first. East Lincoln is very good. It’s not like you’re the home team when you play a team like them in the first round.”
Kings Mountain had little trouble with North Gaston last week. The Wildcats have had an outstanding season under new head coach and former KM assistant Darrell Wilson.
“We talked before the game and they had some guys missing so going in we felt pretty good,” Herron said. “We had a game that was tough but all of our starters got us off to a good start and that allowed us to put a lot of other guys in the game.
“TJ Armstrong was 5 of 8 passing for 147 yards and a 26 yard touchdown, and Jayden Gash had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
“In the second half we got good scoring from a lot of other guys. Freshman Cam Houser had nine carries for 53 yards and a touchdown.
“We did some great things,” he added. “Defensively we got off to a good start and we pretty much did what we wanted to do.”
The Mountaineers took charge from the beginning, returning the opening kickoff to the North 48 and scoring in just six plays on a run by Jayden Gash and PAT by Matt Rhom.
They went up 14-0 on their second possession on a Gash TD.
After another North three and out, William Vaughn scored on a 51-yard pass down the left side and it was 21-0.
A partially blocked punt put the Mountaineers on the North 20, and after a holding call Josiah Hill scored to make it 28-0 with still 1:41 left in the first period.
After the kickoff, the Wildcats had a high snap which KM recovered for a 35-0 lead. Another TD, followed by a safety when North snapped a ball over the punter’s head, ran the tally to 44-0 at the 3:25 mark of the second period.
The Wildcats finally got on the board late in the second period and KM scored a TD and field goal in the second half to wrap things up.
The win left the Mountaineers and South Point still in a tie for first place with 6-1 league marks, followed closely by Crest and Ashbrook at 5-2 each.
Heading into Friday’s game, Armstrong has 1,652 yards passing and Hill has 846 rushing. William Vaughn has 831 yards receiving and Jayden Gash 705.
Hill leads the scoring with 132 points and Rhom has 58 points kicking.

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Patriot wrestlers
win opener 78-24

The Kings Mountain Middle wrestling team opened its season with a 78-24 win over North Lincoln.
Winning matches for KM were Christian Ward, Ayden Smith, Ezra Barber, Devin Hord, Marvin Moore, Lecrea Toney, Timahzje Phillips, Joziah Montgomery, Hunter Stinchcomb, Brantley Lawson, Kavion Byers, Yazeem Williams, Daniel Martinez, and Jamarion Williams.
KMMS is 1-0 on the year and will face West Lincoln at home on Thursday!

Mountaineer JVs run
the table in BSC with
win over Forestview

Kings Mountain High’s JV football team completed an unbeaten season against Big South Conference teams and finished with a 9-1 overall record with a 14-6 win over the Forestview Jaguars Thursday night at John Gamble Stadium.
It didn’t come easy, though, as the visitors took an early 6-0 lead and played tough the entire game but not good enough to get into the end zone again.
The Jaguars stopped the Mountaineers at their own 32-yard line in the opening series and after a KM punt drove 67 yards to take a 6-0 lead.
After Ivey Ingram returned the ensuing kickoff to the 49-yard line the Mountaineers went on 17-play drive to take a 7-6 lead on a two-yard run off left tackle by Khareem Coleman and an extra point by Refugio Gonzalez. Coleman carried eight times for 34 yards during the drive and AJ Parker caught three passes for 20 yards. That scored held until the second half.
Forestview answered with a decent drive that reached the KM 42 but the Mountaineers’ Silas Tate intercepted a pass to end it.
Kings Mountain had another drive going late in the third quarter but lost a fumble at the Jaguars’ 11 yard line.
The Mountaineer defense wouldn’t budge and took possession on a Jaguar bad snap on a punt attempt at the Jaguars’ 33. The offense was able to make to the Jaguars’ 11 with a first down but fumbled the ball away with 1:05 left in the quarter.
The fourth quarter began with the Jaguars at their own nine. A delay penalty pushed them back to the four and they were forced to punt with 9:36 left on the clock. Silas Tate returned the kick to the Jaguars’ 25 and four plays later KJ Bell hit Ethan Tran with a 28-yard touchdown pass to complete the scoring.
Forestview managed to get back to KM 43 late in the game but a pass interception by Ingram with 30 seconds left wrapped things up.
Kings Mountain’s only loss this year was 14-8 to 4A Cox Mill in the second game of the season. The Mountaineers swept their Cleveland County non-conference opponents (Shelby 39-12 and Burns 28-0) and their BSC opponents Huss 26-6, North Gaston 40-0, South Point 7-0, Cramer 38-6, Crest 23-6 and Forestview 14-6.

KMHS Winter Sports

WRESTLING

NOVEMBER
13 – Vs. Olympic, Mountain Island and West Charlotte at Olympic. (Time TBA).
16 – Plowboy Individual at Chase, begins at 9:30 (14 teams, individual opponents TBD).
19 – at Shelby vs. Shelby, East Burke, and Lincoln Charter. (Times TBD).
23 – at Bandys 8-team tournament, matches and times (begin at 9 a.m.
27 – Tri-County Invittional at Ashbrook, (18 teams).

DECEMBER
3- KM quads (Teams TBD).
13 and 14 – at Newton Conover (10 teams).
23 – at Reindeer Rumble in Lincolnton, begins at 9:30.
JANUARY
3-4 – at Bear Cat Brawl Invitational at Rock Hill (numerous teams involved).
8 – Mt. Pleasant at KM
10 – at North Gaston
17 – at North Gaston vs. North Gaston, Huss, South Point and Ashbrook.
22 – BSC quads at Stuart Cramer
25 – BSC tournament (site TBD).

FEBRUARY
1 – 1st and 2nd founds of dual team tournament, site TBD.
5 – 3rd and 4th rounds of dual team tournament.
8 – Dual team state tournament, site TBD.
14 -15 – 3A West Regionals, TBD.
20, 21, 22 – Individual state tournament, Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro.

BASKETBALL
(All games begin at 4:30 for JVs followed by varsity girls and boys unless otherwise noted).

DECEMBER
3 – at Cox Mill (JV and varsity)
6 – Lincolnton
7 – Clover (girls only), time TBD
9 – Burns
11 – Shelby
13 – South Point
14 – vs. Bandys at Maiden (varsity boys only).
19 – at Stuart Cramer
26 – 28 - at Freedom Christmas tourney (varsity girls only).
27, 28 & 30 – Mountaineer Classic (varsity boys only).

JANUARY
3 – at Shelby
7 – at Ashbrook
8 – at Carson (Varsity girls only).
10 – Hunter Huss
14 – North Gaston
17 – Forestview
21 – at Crest
24 – at South Point.
28 – Stuart Cramer
29 – at Burns (boys only).
31 – Ashbrook

FEBRUARY
4 – AT Huss
7 – at North Gaston
11 – at Forestview
14 – Crest (Senior Night).
25 – 1st round playoffs (TBA)
28 – 2nd round playoffs TBA)
MARCH
4 – 3RD round playoffs (TBA)
7 – 4th round playoffs (TBA).
10-13 – Western Regional playoffs (TBD).
14-15 – State championship (TBD).

SWIMMING

NOVEMBER
14 – North Gaston, South Point and Crest at KM
21 – Cramer, Highland Tech and Crest at KM.
DECEMBER
5 – Huss, Ashbrook and Crest at KM.
JANUARY
7 – Cleveland County championship, site TBD
9 – Forestview and East Gaston at KM.
FEBRUARY
1 – Regionals at Mecklenburg Aquatic Center.
6 – State championship in Cary
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
DECEMBER
7 – Cool Wave Kickoff in Gastonia, Time TBA.
13 - at Northwest Cabarrus Invitational, Winston-Salem.
JANUARY
11 – at Polk County Polar Bear Meet, begins at 4 p.m.
15 – KM Polar Bear Meet, 4 p.m.
25 – at WNC championship for field events, 10 a.m. at Tryon Equestrian Center in Mill Springs.
27 – at WNC championship for running events, at Polk County High in Columbus, NC.
FEBRUARY
14-15 – 3A Indoor championship, teams TBA.

JV Mountaineers
beat Crest,
host Forestview Wednesday

Kings Mountain High’s JV Mountaineers can run the table in the Big South 3A Conference when they host the Forestview Jaguars in their regular season finale at 7 p.m. tonight at John Gamble Stadium.
The Mountaineers overcame a 20-7 deficit after Crest scored its final touchdown by L.C. Bradley with 7:14 left in the third quarter.
Silas Tate returned the Crest kickoff to the Mountaineers’ 37 and Xavier Hutchens ran the ball twice for a first down at the Chargers’ 47. A holding penalty set the Mountaineers back to their own 43 but on third and 20 Hutchens scored on a 43-yard pass reception and Khareem Coleman ran a two-point conversion to cut the margin to 20-15.
Kings Mountain’s defense then began taking control of the game and held the Crest offense to three and out. After Crest punted KM took over at the Chargers’ 40 with 2:09 left on the third period clock. Two runs by Coleman and a 9-yard run by Houser for a first down at the Crest 27 sparked a drive that ended with KJ Bell’s touchdown and two-point conversion reception to give the Mountaineers a 23-20 lead with 9:48 left in the game.
The Mountaineer defense had the Chargers backed up to their own 19 yard line facing a fourth and six. Their punter shanked his kick out of bounds at the KM 30 with 6:25 left on the clock and the Mountaineers were able to run all but 2:51 off the clock before turning the ball over.
Again, the KM defense came up big and Crest was forced to try a fourth down pass from its own 33 with 1:17 left. The Mountaineers sacked the Chargers’ quarterback at the Crest 24. Crest had already used up all of its timeouts so the Mountaineers took a knee three times to end the game.
Before the late heroics the Mountaineers drove the opening kickoff 68 yards16 plays to basically eat up the first quarter clock. Khareem Coleman scored from a yard out at with 46.4 seconds on the clock and Refugio Gonzalez added the point-after for a 7-0 lead.
Crest answered with a 78-yard, 13-yard drive to tie the score at 7-all on a five-yard keeper by QB Malachi Gamble.
KM’s second half kickoff went out of bounds and Crest took over at its own 35. Gamble immediately circled left end and the Chargers went up 14-7.
The Mountaineers couldn’t get anything going and had to punt from their own 25 and the Chargers took possession at their own 48. On first down, QB CJ Bradley circled left end and went the distance to the Chargers were up 20-7. That would be the last time they hit paydirt.
Silas Tate returned the ensuing kickoff to the KM 37. Two carries by Hutchens put the Mountaineers at Crest 47. After a penalty, the Mountaineers faced third and 20 from their own 43 but Bell found Hutchens wide open for a 57-yard touchdown. Coleman added a two-point conversion to give the Mountaineers a 20-15 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Screen shot 2024 11 08 at 11.50.23 am — These six Mountaineers led the defense in last week’s big victory over the Crest Chargers. Left to right, Semaj Odums had 18 tackles, Latham Feemster 10, Antonio Armstrong nine and Eli Lipscomb and Thomas Fair eight each. Matt Rhom had a big fumble recovery.

Big second half propels KM to 24-23 win over Crest and tie for BSC lead

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers overcame a 23-10 halftime deficit to defeat a good Crest team 24-23 Friday night in Boiling Springs to go into the final Big South regular season finale Friday at North Gaston tied with South Point for first place.
Both the Mountaineers and Red Raiders will be heavily favored Friday. South Point will be facing Hunter Huss.
“We don’t want this to be one of those trap games,” Coach Strait Herron said of North Gaston. “We’ve played at a high level two weeks in a row and both of them (Ashbrook and Crest) were hard fought games. You just have to keep playing hard. This is a scary week. We can’t have a letdown. We’ve got to get prepared and play. We need to win this one and come out healthy. We want to use this week to make us better. It’s not so much about them, it’s more about us.”
Herron said last week’s win over Crest was a big one.
“It feels good for our guys to win a big game two weeks in a row,” he said. “I am real proud of them.”
The Mountaineers got in high gear on the third play of the second half when Josiah Hill rambled untouched 83 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 23-17.
“Jo Jo had a good game with 24 carries for 166 yards and two TDs,” Herron said. “That gave us a momentum boost.”
Armstrong hit eight of 16 passes for 112 yards
The Mountaineers recovered an onside kick at the Crest 49 and six plays later Eli Lipscomb tallied the winning touchdown from nine yards out. A big 31-yard reception by Jayden Gash on which Crest was flagged for a face mask penalty set it up.
The Mountaineer defense bent a little after that but didn’t break.
“The defense did a heck of a job shutting them down,” Herron said. “Everybody played extremely hard and that’s the way it should be.”
After the kickoff and a penalty, the Chargers were on their own 23 but a sack by Lathan Feemster backed them up to the 16. A quick out pass resulted in a one-yard loss and a loss of downs at the 1:55 mark of the third period.
Crest did threaten after intercepting a KM pass at the Crest 31. The Chargers made it to the 45 but penalties set them back to their own 24 and they had to punt the ball away with 9:05 left on the fourth quarter clock.
Good running by Hill and a key 15-yard reception by Gash got the Mountaineers to the Crest seven before they lost the ball on downs with 3:17 remaining.
The KM defense stood firm and Dakota Smith intercepted a pass at the Crest 36 with 1:25 showing on the clock. Crest didn’t have any time outs remaining and the Mountaineers took a knee twice to end the game.
The Mountaineers never led in the first half but did answer Crest’s first touchdown when Hill’s three-yard run and Matt Rhom’s PAT made it 7-7 at the 3:03 mark of the first quarter.
Crest added a safety when the officials ruled that the KM punter’s knee touched the ground in the end zone.
The Chargers went up 16-7 on the sixth play of the second quarter when Carson went around end for a 15-yard touchdown.
After the Chargers’ kickoff, the Mountaineers took over at their own 34. Good running by Hill and a 31- yard pass reception by Gash put them on the Crest 35.
Facing third and six from the 19, the Mountaineers benefited from a pass interference call on the Chargers and had a first and goal at the Crest eight. Facing fourth and goal from the six, the Mountaineers called on Matt Rhom to kick a field goal and cut the margin to 16-10 with 5:59 left in the half.
Crest responded with a 65-yard drive which ended with a Carson 27-yard run around the right side and a 23-10 halftime lead.
“It was a big win for us,” Herron said. “It feels good for our guys to win big games two weeks in a row. I am real proud of them.
“We didn’t lose anybody during the game,” he noted. “We had some guys banged up but it’s not serious.”
He was proud to see his team come out of halftime and pitch a shutout in the second half.
“Jo Jo had a good run for 83 yards and scored a touchdown and gave us a good momentum boost,” Herron said.
“Our defense played extremely hard and that’s the way it should be. We came out healthy,” he said. “Odoms had a good game. Our defense had a lot of production points. We had five solo tackles and 13 assists. A lot of players contributed. The defense held them all night.”
Odoms was in on 18 tackles, Lathan Feemster 10, Antonio Armstrong nine and Eli Lipscomb and Thomas Fair eight each.
Rhom was 3-for-3 on extra points and had a 24-yard field goal.

Mountaineers defeat Gastonia Ashbrook 27-19,
big battle for share of first place Friday at Crest

There’s a logjam at the top of the Big South 3A Conference football standings between Crest, South Point and Kings Mountain but there will be only two at the top after Friday night’s Kings Mountain at Crest game.
The Mountaineers outscored Gastonia Ashbrook 10-0 in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s game at John Gamble Stadium to erase a 19-17 deficit and defeat the Green Wave 27-19.
With South Point heavily favored to win its final two regular season games against Forestview (1-5, 1-8) and Stuart Cramer (0-5, 1-7), Friday’s game in Boiling Springs could mean co-champions in the BSC and a third place and possibly just one home playoff game for the loser.
“Crest is really good,” Mountaineer head coach Strait Herron said. “You can see that they have athletes everywhere. They remind me of some of the guys we had at South Pointe in Rock Hill.
“We will have to play hard. They’re going to be tough to beat. This is a big game for us.”
Ashbrook, which was led at quarterback by sophomore Anthony McClain, whose father Lance McClain quarterbacked the Mountaineers in the late 1990s, gave the Mountaineers a fit and showed that they could have a long run in the upcoming state 3A playoffs.
“I was satisfied and really proud of the effort our players gave,” Coach Herron said. “We did what we had to do and worked extremely hard. We started with a game plan and didn’t change it much. Our guys work hard and do what they have to do and they have a good attitude.
“Ashbrook played hard and had a good game plan, too,” Herron added. “They had guys in there that knew what they wanted to do. I’m glad we had good plays when we needed to.”
Ashbrook took a 19-17 lead on a touchdown by Savion Lindsay with 6:15 remaining in the third period. After holding and unsportsmanlike penalties following the ensuing kickoff KM was backed up to its 11-yard line.
The momentum started to switch sides when the Mountaineers went on a long drive that ended when an apparent touchdown reception by William Vaughn was nullified by an offensive pass interference. The Mountaineers were forced to punt and it went out of bounds at the Ashbrook 10 yard line.
Kings Mountain’s defense came up big and backed the Green Wave up to its own ½ yard line. A good punt return by Jayden Gash put the Mountaineers’ offense in business at the Ashbrook 26. A 19-yard pass reception by Vaughn and two runs by Hill resulted in what would be the winning touchdown and a 24-19 lead at the 9:19 mark of the fourth period.
The KM defense continued big the rest of the night, not allowing another Green Wave first down.
Thomas Fair’s fumble recovery at the Ashbrook two-yard line set up the final score. Ashbrook’s defense wouldn’t budge so Rhom came on to kick a field goal to complete the scoring.
Before the final heroics the Mountaineers survived a missed field goal by Ashbrook late in the first period and went on an 80-yard, six-play drive capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Josiah Hill for a 7-0 lead. It was set up by a 76-yard catch and run by William Vaughn. Matt Rhom kicked the point-after.
A one-hand pass interception by Jayden Gash at the KM 39 set up Vaughn’s 61-yard TD catch and run and Rhom’s PAT for a 14-0 lead at the 9:49 mark of the second quarter.
Ashbrook responded with a two-yard TD run by Martino Smith, followed shortly thereafter by a pass interception that set up quarterback AJ McClain’s 43-yard roll around end to make it 14-12 at the half.
Rhom’s 39-yard field goal put the Mountaineers up 17-12 early in the third quarter before Ashbrook took the lead on a Savion Lindsay 37-yard TD and Uziel Garcia’s PAT.
After this week’s game at Crest the Mountaineers will end their regular season with a makeup game at North Gaston.

KM volleyball advancing
In state 3A tournament

Kings Mountain High’s volleyball team is off to another great run in the NCHSAA playoffs and are seeking their second straight state championship.
They won two more games this week, beating Stuart Cramer 25-10, 25-9, 25-13 and Asheboro 25-19, 25-13, 25-15.
Camden Pasour had 28 assists, four kills, nine digs, a block and two service points against Cramer. Denet Houey added 11 kills and a block, Alexa Jones seven kills, nine digs, 15 serve receptions and 14 service points. London Brown and Ruby Osborne had eight kills each.
Jones had 23 serve receptions, five digs, 17 kills and seven service points against Asheboro.
Pasour had 32 assists, 11 digs, three kills, a block and two service points.
Brown and Osborne each had eight kills and two blocks.
Ava Tipton had nine serve receptions, eight digs and seven service points and Denet Houey had six kills and a block.
Madi Broome had 14 digs, three serve receptions and four service points.

Screen shot 2024 10 24 at 4.07.19 pm — TJ Armstrong fires a pass for the Mountaineers in last week’s win at Stuart Cramer. KM will host a strong Gastonia Ashbrook team Friday at Gamble Stadium. Photo by Charlie Smith

Mountaineers blast Stuart Cramer 41-0,
final regular season home game is Friday

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers are back in the chase for the Big South Conference championship after beating Stuart Cramer 41-0 Friday night.
At the same time, the Ashbrook Green Wave was knocking off first place South Point 17-14 to create a four-team race for the BSC championship between the Raiders, Ashbrook, Kings Mountain and Crest. All four have just one conference loss.
“It was a good win,” said Mountaineer Coach Strait Herron, “especially when you win that big with only nine offensive snaps in the first half. Cramer ran 40 seconds off the clock every time they took the snap. That makes for a boring game but we got some defensive plays that were big for us.”
The Mountaineers’ defense came up with some big turnovers to help the offense get going.
The rout began with Josiah Hill’s one-yard touchdown and Matt Rhom’s PAT late in the first quarter. Antonio Armstrong’s pick six for 27 yards put the Mountaineers up 13-0.
“Armstrong had a great game for us defensively,” Herron said. “He was in on 15 tackles. He was all over the place.”
Early in the second period Dakota Smith’s pass interception and 67-yard return and Rhom’s extra point sent the Mountaineers into the halftime break with a 20-0 lead.
Jayden Gash, who had a good all-around performance, scored on a 16-yard reception from Armstrong in the third period. Rhom’s PAT made it 27-0.
Hill and Camren Houser added fourth quarter touchdown runs of nine and six yards, respectively, and Rhom split the uprights after both scores to round out the scoring at 41-0.
“Gash had a good night,” Coach Herron added. “He had six catches for 98 yards and TJ Armstrong was 10 for 12 passing. That’s pretty accurate.
“We didn’t have anyone banged up and that’s good,” he added. “This week we hope to get some people back. We’ve had five or six out.”
The Mountaineers will need a strong performance from every player when they take on a strong Gastonia Ashbrook team Friday night at John Gamble Stadium. They go to Crest and North Gaston for their final two regular season games. Winning out would give the Mountaineers several state playoff games at home.
“Ashbrook is strong and fast and very physical,” Herron said. “They like to hit you. They won last week at South Point. If we had gotten South Point we would be in great shape. Ashbrook is very good. We have to execute and protect the ball. We have to manage the clock and keep the ball away from them.”
Kings Mountain has had some first unit players hurt lately but Herron hopes they will be back for this week’s game.
“I think we’re healthy as far as I know,” he said. “I’m not sure if we’ll get Eli Lipscomb and Thomas Fair back. I hope we do. We’ve got some young kids that we’re really excited about. Houser stepped up and scored a touchdown for us last week and freshman Christian Jarrett made three tackles in his first game on varsity.”
With the four-team log jam at the top of the conference standings, Herron said every game is huge.

Screen shot 2024 10 24 at 3.47.50 pm — Xavier Hutchens scored three touchdowns in JV Mountaineers’ win over Stuart Cramer Thursday at John Gamble Stadium.

JVs roll over Stuart Cramer,
travel to Ashbrook Thursdays

Following a good return of the opening kickoff by Khareem Coleman, Kings Mountain High’s JVs drove 50 yards for a touchdown and rolled to a 38-6 victory over Stuart Cramer Thursday night at John Gamble Stadium.
Coleman actually returned the kick to the Storm 40 but the Mountaineers were penalized 10 yards for a holding penalty. It took them just four plays to score on an 11-yard pass reception by Xavier Hutchens for a 6-0 lead.
Cramer’s next possession ended with a fumble when the Storm went for a fourth and one at its own 33, the Mountaineers drove 32 yards to score on a two-yard run by Cam Houser to go up 12-0.
That score stood until the end of the first period but Cramer was facing a fourth and 16 from its own 30. KM took possession at the Storm 44 and took just five plays to score on a 24-yard pass reception by Hutchens. Coleman added a two-point conversion to run the score at 20-0 with 6:08 left in the half.
After another three-and-out, the Mountaineers drove 60 yards in seven plays to take a 28-0 halftime lead on a 28-yard reception by Hutchens and Cam Houser’s two-point conversion run.
The Storm was able to reach the KM 38 after taking the third period kickoff, but they fumbled again and KM recovered it at the 33. Seven plays later KJ Bell hit Ethan Tran with a 12-yard touchdown pass and Gonzalez added the PAT to make it 35-0.
Cramer’s Phillip Coburn returned a pass interception 15 yards for the Storm’s only score at the 7:57 mark of the fourth quarter.
Kings Mountain closed out the scoring with 1:57 remaining on a 32-yard field goal by Refugio Gonzalez.
Since the only Cramer score came on a pass interception, Kings Mountain’s defense recorded its fourth shutout of the season.
Coach Shane Cole’s Mountaineers will travel to Gastonia Ashbrook Thursday and end their season October 31 at home against the Crest Chargers. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

Screen shot 2024 09 19 at 3.53.32 pm — JOSH GILLESPIE (Photo provided by Lizzie Ingram)

KM High golfer Josh Gillespie
commits to Greensboro College

Kings Mountain High senior golfer Josh Gillespie has committed to continue his education and golfing career at Greensboro College.
This spring will be his fourth year as a starter for the Mountaineers where he has been All-Big South Conference two years running and hopes to make a state championship run in the spring.
He helped the Mountaineers win the conference and regional tournaments his freshman year. They were second in the conference and regionals last year.
Overall, he will be in his sixth year of playing golf at the middle and high school level.
He will be the only senior coming back this spring. “We will be young overall but I still hope to get to the state as an individual,” he said.
Gillespie said he began learning golf at the age of two and has played in tournaments since he was six.
Over the past two years he finished high in the regionals and state tournaments.
He said the Mountaineers will begin practice in February and competition will begin in March.
He is excited to continue his golfing and education at Greensboro College.
“They’ve wo two Division 3 championships,” he noted. “They’re one of the most competitive Division 3 schools. They’ve won tournaments in Florida and Georgia and have won two national championships. I’m excited.”
After college, he said he would love to play at the professional level. If that doesn’t work out he would “love to go into business in the golf industry.”

KM volleyball remains unbeaten
in Big South Conference

Kings Mountain High’s women’s volleyball team remained undefeated in Big South 3A Conference play last week with sweeps of Forestview and South Point.
The Lady Mountaineers hosted their Mountaineer Invitational Friday and Saturday and were scheduled to resume conference play last night at Stuart Cramer. They will remain on the road for their next four games before returning to Parker Gym on October 1 against North Gaston. After Cramer, they will go to Crest on September 19, Ashbrook September 24 and Hunter Huss on September 26 in conference games and participate in the Falcon Bash Invitational at West Henderson on September 27-28.
The KM ladies swept Forestview Tuesday with the JVs winning 26-24 and 25-22 and the varsity winning 25-15, 25-14, 25-15.
The ladies got good all-around performances from several players in both contests.
In JV action, Avery Cruise had 15 serve receptions, 17 digs and four service points. Campbell Benton 13 kills; Elyn Phongsa eight serve receptions, eight digs and four kills; and Avaclaire Moss 18 assists, four digs and nine service points.
For the varsity, Alexa Jones had 10 serve receptions, 12 kills, there blocks and 10 service points; Camden Pasour 34 assists, six kills and eight digs; Ava Tipton 13 serve receptions, 13 digs and seven service points; and London Brown and Denet Houey nine kills each.
On Thursday the Lady Mountaineers swept South Point 2-0 in JVs and 3-0 in varsity games.
For the JVs, who won 25-8 and 25-20, Campbell Benton had 11 kills and four serve receptions; Avery Cruise six serve receptions, 13 digs and four service points; Jillian Patton 16 assists and four digs; and Elyn Phongsa 22 service points, 10 digs and four kills.
The varsity won 25-11, 25-15 and 25-16.
Leaders included Alexa Jones with 11 serve receptions, seven digs, nine kills, a block and eight service points. Ava Tipton had 21 serve receptions, 18 digs and three service points; Camden Pasour 40 assists, 11 digs, five kills, two blocks and seven service points; and London Brown and Denet Houey 13 kills and two blocks each.

Mountaineers open Big South Conference play
Friday at home against the Hunter Huss Huskies

After taking a week off after going 2-1 in their non-conference games, Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers will open a tough Big South 3A Conference schedule Friday night when they host the Hunter Huss Huskies at John Gamble Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30.
Players that were injured over the first three games have had time to heal so the Mountaineers should be at full strength going into seven straight conference games.
“We had three good days of practice last week,” head coach Strait Herron said. “We slowed things down trying to get back and get better.”
Herron and his staff had plenty of time to look at the Huskies on film and said “they look good on film…better than last year. They have a real good quarterback who makes their offense go and guys that can run on defense too.
“The first thing have to do is battle up front in the trenches,” he said. “We have to make sure we get them blocked and withstand their pressure.”
He noted that special teams must perform well too.
“The Huss quarterback is tough to stop,” he noted. “He throws the ball well and he can pull it down and run it. We have to keep him contained.”
Herron hopes some of the Mountaineers who were injured earlier will be able to see some action.
“Dom Davis started on the offensive line last year and he’s been gone since practice and he may be able to go this week,” he noted. “Wiley Rainey’s also been injured and hopefully he will be back.”
Herron said the team “practiced hard” during the off week. “We just slowed things down. When we were running drills full speed we really concentrated on being specific in certain things.”
With this being the first conference game, Herron said it is a “big game and we want to play well.”
Herron said the Huss quarterback will be hard to contain. “He can run it and throw it,” he said. “It’s tough to get your hands on him. We have to keep him contained.”
After this week the Mountaineers will hit the road for conference games at North Gaston on September 27 at 6:30 p.m. and Forestview on October 4 at 7:30 p.m. Their next home game is October 11 against the South Point Red Raiders.

KMHS volleyball off to fast start in BSC

Kings Mountain High’s women’s volleyball got off to a fast Big South 3A Conference start last week with sweeps of Hunter Huss and North Gaston.
In between those Tuesday and Thursday BSC victories the KM ladies took down non-conference foe East Gaston.
Kings Mountain was slated to go to Gastonia Forestview last night and South Point will come to Parker Gym Thursday.

The Lady Mountaineers will host their Mountaineer Invitational September 13-14 and will resume conference play on September 17 at Crest.

The Lady Mountaineers swept Huss 25-5, 25-6, 25-7 as Camden Pasour dished out 18 assists to go with two kills and eight service points.
Ruby Osborne had five kills and 15 service points and Alexa Jones had 16 service points, four serve receptions and five kills.
The Lady Mountaineers turned back East Gaston 25-12, 25-9 and 25-12 after the JVs defeated the Lady Warriors 25-18 and 25-16.
Campbell Benton, Avery Cruise and Jillian Patton had big games for the JV ladies. Benton had nine kills, seven service points and two digs; Cruise 12 digs, eight serve receptions and three service points; and Patton 23 assists, four digs and six service points.
Camden Pasour led the varsity with 35 assists, six digs, five kills and 21 service points. Alexa Jones had 11 kills, six serve receptions and nine digs. Denet Houey had nine kills and two blocks, London Brown 11 kills and Ava Tipton 11 digs, nine serve receptions and nine service points.
Alexa Jones had a big all-around game in the win over Huter Huss with 12 kills, four serve receptions, five digs and 13 service points.
Camden Pasour dished out 31 assists to go with four kills and six service points.
London Brown had seven kills. Denet Housey and Ruby Osborne six kills each and Sarah Bouchard had 25 service points.

Screen shot 2024 09 12 at 12.40.24 pm — Josiah Hill rushes for some of his 146 yards in Friday’s Mountaineer win over Burns. (Photos by Charlie Smith)

Mountaineers beat Burns,
host Huskies September 20

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers ended their non-conference season Friday night at John Gamble Stadium with a 41-20 victory over the Burns Bulldogs.
It was the second straight victory for the Mountaineers since their season-opening loss to the Shelby Golden Lions. They rolled over 4A Cox Mill in their other non-league bout.
Kings Mountain will be idle this week and return to action in their Big South Conference opener against the Hunter Huss Huskies at Gamble Stadium on Friday, September 20.
The Mountaineers moved the ball almost at will but did see their opening drive stopped by a fumble at the Burns two-yard line. The drive had begun with a good mix of running and passing.
Burns took advantage and moved downfield with a good mix of running and passing. Kenyon Surratt covered the final 28 yards for a 6-0 Bulldog lead.
That would be all the Bulldogs would produce in the first half as Kings Mountain dominated with good defense and an offensive mix of running and passing to go into the half with a 24-6 lead.
Led by the running of Josiah Hill, who would finish with 146 yards on 27 carries, and the passing of TJ Armstrong who would hit 13 of 23 passes for 257 more, the Mountaineers won going away. William Vaughn hauled in eight passes for 163 yards and Dakota Smith four for 75 yards.
KM’s first points came on a 32-yard Matt Rhom field goal at the 2:49 mark of the first quarter. The drive began at the KM 23 after the Mountaineers were flagged with a holding penalty on Jayden Gash’s kickoff return.
A pass reception by Gash for 15 yards on a third and six got the drive off to a good start at the 42. Hill went around left end for 50 yards but an offside penalty and two incomplete passes brought up a fourth and eight at the Burns 11. Rhom’s 33-yard field goal cut the margin to 6-3.
A sack by Semaj Odums forced the Bulldogs to punt from their own 18 and the punt just carried 18 yards and KM was in business at the Bulldog 36 to end the first period. On second and ten, Hill took a handoff and was hit in the backfield but rolled away and circled right end for the TD and Rhom’s PAT gave the Mountaineers a 10-6 lead at the end of the first period.
The KM defense held the visitors to three and out again and after a punt and penalty took over at its own 22. On the second play from scrimmage, William Vaughn flew past the Burns defense and Armstrong hit him in stride for a 77-yard catch and run touchdown and a 17-6 lead.
After the defense held Burns again, the Mountaineers were facing a fourth and six at the Burns 47. They lined up in punt formation but faked it and Lipscomb went 12 yards for a first down at the Burns 39. After a 15-yard reception by Vaughn Hill took care of the rest and scored from 15 yards around left end and Rhom’s PAT made it 24-6 at the half.
Rhom’s second half kickoff went into the end zone and Burns took possession at its 20. After a three and out the Dogs punted from their own 13. KM took possession at the Bulldog 45 and Vaughn caught three passes in a row to put the Mountaineers at the Burns 15. After a holding penalty KM faced fourth and 15 at the Burns 21 and Vaughn nailed a 38-yard field goal for a 27-6 lead.
Burns rallied briefly to cut the margin to 27-13 on a four-yard run by Zavion Wilson. Gash returned the ensuing kickoff for 49 yards to the Burns 13 but the Mountaineers coughed up the pigskin and the Bulldogs took over at their own nine.
Facing third and nine, the Dogs went to the air and Dakota Smith intercepted the pass and returned it to the Burns five. After Hill lost six yards back to the 11, he took the handoff again and bulled his way into the end zone and Rhom’s PAT made it 34-13.
The Bulldogs got a 78-yard Warlick reception to the KM two and McGowan scored from there to make it 34-20 with 8:04 left on the clock.
After Gash returned the ensuing kickoff to the 45, KM moved 55 yards on six plays to wrap up the scoring with a 14-yard Hill run on which he bounced off three big hits. Rhom’s PAT accounted for the final 41-20 margin with 5:05 remaining.

About Kings Mountain Herald

Kings Mountain Herald is the paper of choice in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Born 1888, with a focus on hometown news, the Herald continues to bring you the stories that matter. They matter to us because you matter to us. The Kings Mountain Herald is a locally owned and operated publication that has served the community for over 100 years.

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provide access to all 15 games of the ALWS Aug. 14-19

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2025 High School
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Mountaineers honored

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have good off-season

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38th Annual
Banquet May 17

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Cramer and Forestview

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basketball game scores

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shines at 11th Annual Mountaineer Relays

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roll Wave 6-3

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beat Ashbrook 13-3

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in WNC Polar Bear meet

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edge Jaguars 65-61

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unbeaten in conference play

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beat East,
lose to Gaston Day

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end season with a 9-3 record

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travels Friday to face a super talented Jay M. Robinson

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win over Forestview

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