(March 24, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers scored on six of their seven first half possession and rolled over the Ashbrook Green Wave 41-0 in a Big South Conference game Friday in Gastonia.
With that lead coming just before halftime, the game went to a running clock the entire second half. The Mountaineers used that time to rest their starters and get everyone else some playing time.
While the KM offense was riding the Wave for 390 total yards, the Wave’s offense wasn’t as much as a ripple  with just two first downs and minus yardage for the night. Both of those first downs came late in the fourth quarter against KM’s reserves.
“It was a great effort,” said Mountaineer head coach Greg Lloyd. “I thought we showed a lot of improvement. It was the best game we’ve played. Both lines played the best since the Stuart Cramer game.
“And I thought our defense was phenomenal. We tackled well and showed a lot of improvement. The special teams played well also. “
The defense showed its stuff on Ashbrook’s opening drive. Ashbrook running back Elijah Antis picked up a yard on the game’s first play from scrimmage, but it was followed up by an incompletion and then an interception by KM’s Deandre Hoyle at the KM 47. Seven plays later quarterback Ethan Reid hit Orlando Odums with a 16-yard touchdown pass and Jayden Ellis kicked the point after for a 7-0 KM lead.
Yet another Ashbrook three and out set KM up at its own 45. It took just an 11-yard pass from Reid to Rashaard Brooks and three carries for 44 yards by Jalen Mims, the final one for 11 yards and a TD for a 14-0 lead.
After another three and out by Ashbrook, KM took over at midfield on a punt and seven plays later Brooks went in from the three to make it 21-0.
A quarterback sack by Chris Ruffalo forced yet another Ashbrook three and out, and KM took over at its own 24. Nine plays later Brooks scored from a yard out, but the PAT was wide left and KM led 27-0.
The Ashbrook defense was able to force a loss of downs on KM’s next possession. But after the KM defense held the Green Wave to three and out again, Coach Lloyd reached into his bag of tricks and had Reid throw a lateral pass to Chance Cannon who then threw to Payton Fisher 20 yards behind the Ashbrook defense for a 44-yard touchdown reception and a 34-0 lead with 2:23 left in the half.

On Ashbrook’s first play following the KM kickoff, freshman Robert Kendrick recovered a fumble at the Ashbrook 21 and it took just one run by Brooks to get the final TD with 2:10 to go in the half.
“I thought Rashaard ran the ball very well,” Coach Lloyd noted. “Our offensive line was good, and the defense played well, too. I thought Trey Crawford had a really good game, and so did AJ Richardson. It was just a good all-around game by all.”
Most KM starters were taken out at the half but the defense still held Ashbrook without a first down until late in the fourth quarter. It came on a four yard reception by Antis at the Ashbrook 20. They added another first down at the 30 from which point they threw three incomplete passes and a run for zero yards by Brandon Lewis to end the game.
It was the second straight shutout for the KM defense against a Gastonia team (the other a 35-0 win over Hunter Huss the week before) and the second straight game that the D held its opponent to minus rushing yards.

See more photos in this week's issue of the KM Herald (3-24-21)

(March 24, 2021 Issue)

The Kings Mountain High School Booster Club would like to honor Ruthie Ware, 4th grader from East Elementary as their Good Citizen of the Week.  Ruthie is an example of good citizenship. She is always doing the right thing and making smart decisions. Ruthe always follows school and classroom rules. Even with the challenges of remote learning, Ruthe gives one hundred percent and wants all her classmates to succeed. Her favorite subject is English. She also enjoys recess  to interact with her friends. At home Ruthe likes creek stomping, climbing trees and playing video games.
Ruthe is the daughter of Patrick and Charlotte Ware.

(March 17, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain High’s women’s softball team was defeated 12-6 on opening night Monday by Stuart Cramer.
The Lady Mountaineers were led at the plate by Austyn Dixon, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Jenna Ramsey was 3-for-4 with one RBI and Alayna Patrick went 3-for=4.
The Lady Mountaineers pounded out 12 hits.
Kali Weaver got the start in the circle for KM. She gave up nine hits and struck out five.
Andrea Weaver took over in the fifth inning, surrendering three hits while striking out two.
Kings Mountain travels to North Gaston Wednesday night and returns home Monday for a 6 p.m. game with Hunter Huss and a Wednesday game with Ashbrook.

(March 17, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain High senior volleyball standout Kyann Crocker signed a letter of intent last week with Winston-Salem State University. She is pictured front row, left right, with her grandmother Patricia Craig, mother Latrisha Jeter and grandmother Gayla Crocker. Back row, left to right, athletic director Matt Bridges, principal Julie Rikard, club coach Lewis Williamson, stepfather Reginal Jeter, father Sidney Crocker and KMHS coaches Lindsay Ellis and Heather Pasour.
 

(March 17, 2021 Issue)

Quarterback Lamont Littlejohn scored on a sneak with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter to lift Kings Mountain High’s JVs to a 12-8 victory over Burns in their 2021 opener Thursday night at Gamble Stadium.
The winning drive began with 28.8 seconds left in the third period after Burns punted to KM’s 24 yard line.
The Mountaineers’ sophomore running back Caleb Holland, who finished with 209 yards rushing on 20 carries, got the winning drive going with a 13-yard burst. Holland and Micah Ward shouldered the rushing load during the winning drive with Holland producing 37 yards and Ward 19.
A big play came with KM facing a third and 21 at the 49 when Burns was whistled for pass interference. That gave the Mountaineers a first down on the Burns 36, and the Mountaineers were awarded another 15 yards on an unsportsmanlike penalty call against the Bulldog sidelines.
That put KM at the Burns 21 with 5:25 remaining. Two carries by Ward for six yards and a 14-yard burst by Holland put KM within inches of the goal line from which point Littlejohn snuck it in for the winning score.
The KM defense rose to the occasion, forcing three straight incomplete passes to regain control of the ball with 2:06 left. From there, Holland burst 13 yards for a first down at the Burns 27. Ward picked up four and Holland seven for another first down at the 16 with just over a minute remaining. With Burns having used all of its timeouts, Littlejohn took a knee twice to end the game.
The Mountaineers had taken a 6-0 lead in the second quarter on a six-yard run by Holland and that score stood until after halftime.
The Mountaineers’ offense had some problems holding onto the ball, and Burns scored its only TD when a KM pitch that took one bounce was caught on the run by Jeremiah Norris who raced 67 yards for a touchdown. A pass from Ben Mauney to Kamari Smart for a two-point conversion left the Bulldogs on top until the Mountaineers mounted their winning drive.
Javion Smith aided the KM running game and also had an outstanding game on defense along with JaQualyn Sanders, Curtis Simpson, Andre Willis, Javier Teshawn-Currie and others.
The Mountaineers will hit the road Wednesday for a 7:30 game at South Point. They return home March 17 at 6:30 against Shelby.

(March 17, 2021 Issue)

With several outstanding returners aboard like major college commits Dameon Wilson and Javari Rice-Wilson, Kings Mountain High coaches and fans knew the Mountaineers would be strong on defense this season.
But, perhaps no one except the players and coaches knew that they could turn in the dominating performance they did against the Hunter Huss Huskies Friday night at Gamble Stadium.
Limiting the Huskies to just six first downs – of which two were on KM penalties – minus four yards rushing and just 43 passing, the Mountaineers completely outclassed their Gastonia opponents 35-0 in a homecoming game current KMHS players and students will remember each time they have a class reunion.
From an offense that accumulated 269 yards overall to a defense that came up with three interceptions and two safeties, the Mountaineers scored in all four quarters. The Huskies offered only one serious scoring threat which ended on a pass interception at the one by KM senior Titus Phillips.
“It was a great game,” said Coach Greg Lloyd. “We got off to a great start and played with a lot of intensity from the opening kickoff. I was pleased with all three phases of the game.”
After Huss won the toss and deferred to the second half, the Mountaineers made it as far as the Huss 49 before having to punt. But, the defense quickly gave a glimpse of what was to come by holding the Huskies to minus three yards on their first possession.
Punting from their own 13, the Huskies’ kick was partially blocked by KM’s Jake Lloyd and KM took over at the Huss 25. After Jaylen Mims and Rashaard Brooks ran for eight and 16 yards, respectively, senior quarterback Ethan Reid scored from the one and Jaden Ellis kicked the extra point and the rout was on.
From that point on, the Huskies had very little success moving the ball, except for a brief time late in the first quarter when Titus Phillips picked off a pass at the KM one yard line.
After KM’s initial score, the defense got a big sack from Derek Wilson to force a fourth and 18 at the Huss seven. Five plays after the Huss punt quarterback Ethan Reid hit end Marcus Odums with a 19-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead.
“The first quarter was big for us,” Lloyd noted. “Getting a score after a blocked punt set the tone. I was pleased with all three phases of the game. It was a great effort.”
Down 14-0, Huss got its first two first downs on back-to-back 15 yard penalties against KM which put them on the KM 36. A 19-yard reception by Noah Lowery put them on the KM 20, but a sack by AJ Richardson followed by Phillips’ interception at the one basically stopped what little offense the Huskies could muster.
KM was able to drive the ball to the Huss 23 before losing it on downs, but on the Huskies’ first play from scrimmage Logan Patrick intercepted a pass. A 21-yard run by Mims put the Mountaineers on the Huss 15, from which point Reid rolled right but threw back to his left to  a wide-open Rashaard Brooks for a 21-0 lead.
That score stood until halftime, but it didn’t take long for the KM defense to score again when Javari Rice-Wilson sacked the Huss QB in the end zone for a safety and a 23-0 lead.
After the free kick, KM marched as far as the Huss 12 but had to settle for a 29-yard field goal from Ellis to run the score to 26-0.
Early in the fourth quarter the Mountaineers took over at their 39 following a Huss punt. Brooks covered the distance in six carries, scoring from eight yards out for a 33-0 lead.
With Huss backed up to its own three facing second and 12, the Mountaineer defense forced another fumble by the Huss QB and Xavier Johnson covered it for a safety to end the scoring.
Obviously, Coach Lloyd was pleased with his team’s overall performance against a Huss team that is always a contender for the BSC championship.
“We were happy with our defense,” he said. “Coach Wilson and the defensive coaches did a great job. Our offensive line looked better. They’ve really gotten better and we hope to get better every Friday.
“Javari Wilson had someone roll into his leg in the fourth quarter and that concerned us,” he noted. “I was worried for a while but he’s in good shape and ready to go. I was really proud of his effort as well as the whole defense. Javari had five sacks. Isaiah Eskridge did a good job at right tackle in his first start.
“I thought Logan Patrick at safety did a great job for us. He was all over the field hustling. And Titus Phillips’ interception at the one was big. He got it out to the 30. We got penalized but still drove it to their 30, so that was big.”
Lloyd said he was also pleased with his running combo of  Brooks and Mims, who kept the clock running.  

(March 10, 2021 Issue)

With several returning players from last year’s team, Kings Mountain High softball coach Kevin Cruise expects his Lady Mountaineers to be among the best teams in the Big South 3A Conference this season.
The Lady Mountaineers begin their season Monday at 6 p.m. with a home conference game against Stuart Cramer, another team that is expected to be fighting for first place in the BSC.
Cruise also expects Crest and Forestview to be very strong so the Lady Mountaineers will have to be at the top of their game when they face those opponents. “If we can sweep or split with all of them, we would have done something,” he says.
Cruise said one drawback has been that he has been coaching both football and softball, but he credits his assistant coaches Shon Macopsen, Jeff Cloninger and Cassie King for their help in keeping the softball program strong.
The Lady Mountaineers have a host of returning players from last year’s team that saw its season cut short because of Covid-19. They include Jenna Ramsey, Andrea Melton, Keegan Irby, Alayna Patrick, Karlee Nantz, Monica Head, Austyn Dixon and Samantha Harrelson.
A new player, freshman Kali Weaver, may be the #1 pitcher with Melton and Irby also seeing duty on the mound. “Keegan pitched some last year and both would have pitched a lot had our season not ended early,” Cruise said.
Because of the shortened season last year, Cruise said an all-conference team was not named but Crest has the returning Player of the Year from two seasons ago.
“They will be someone to reckon with,” he said, “but I feel good about our chances. Defense is what we hang our hats on. We’ll have to keep the score low and get timely hits.”

(March 3, 2021 Issue)

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a free program designed for cancer survivors 18-years and older who have become de-conditioned or chronically fatigued from their treatment or disease. The goals of the program include:
• Rebuilding muscular strength and endurance
• Increasing flexibility and improving functional ability
• Reducing severity of therapy side effects
• Preventing unwanted weight changes
• Improving self-esteem and energy levels
Participants receive a FREE 12-week Family Membership Plus and may use YMCA facilities at any time. Participants may bring a support person who can participate in a workout of their own. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the program is free to participants.
Participants must receive medical clearance and are evaluated on an individual basis. Patients currently undergoing treatment may participate, but only if they receive proper medical clearance.
The 90-minute sessions are held twice a week. There is easy parking front and side of buildings and designated handicapped parking is available.
For more information, contact Margaret Litton, LIVESTRONG Instructor, Kings Mountain Family YMCA, 211 Cleveland Ave., Kings Mountain, 704-739-9631, or email MLitton@CleveCoYMCA.org.

(March 3, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain’s Natalie Lutz is off to a good start in her second year on the Lenoir-Rhyne tennis team.
Presently, Lutz is 3-0 and leading the team (2-1) in individual wins.
Lutz’s freshman year with the LR ladies came to an abrupt halt because of Covid.
Lutz was a two-sport standout at KMHS, playing tennis and golf. She had the option to play either sport in college and chose tennis. She and her KMHS teammate Madelynn Frye won one state championship in doubles.
“She always excelled in both sports and what was amazing and both were played in the same season,” noted her high school coach Rick Henderson. “So when the decision had to be made, Naatlie chose tennis over golf. As her high school tennis coach those four years, it didn’t surprise me that she wanted to continue her tradition by competing at the college level on the tennis team.
“Natalie could have taken the easier of the sport which was golf, but she chose the most physical and demanding of her body simply because tennis was her first love,” Henderson added.
Lutz opened this season by defeating a nationally ranked Queens University player. She was chosen the player of the match mainly due to her winning both her singles and doubles matches. She later defeated her opponents from Lander and Mars Hill.
Lutz is presently playing #4 in singles and bounces between #1 and #2 in doubles.
Lutz is majoring in Medical Studies and plans to attend graduate school to become a physician’s assistant.

(March 3, 2021 Issue)

About the only bright thing for Kings Mountain High’s venture into the state 3A basketball playoffs last week was that junior standout Isaiah Tate topped the 1,000 career point mark in the Mountaineers’ first round 95-57 loss to Central Cabarrus.
The KM girls were in a similar boat at Jesse Carson, falling hard to a very good Carson team 69-33.
Led by a couple of Tate three-pointers, the Mountaineers were able to take an early 9-3 lead before Central Cabarrus began canning some threes of its own and rallied to lead 27-19 at the first quarter break. They were never headed after that.
It was Central Cabarrus’ first home first round playoff win in 10 years.
After leading 44-31 at the half, Central took a 71-44 lead heading into the final quarter.
Tate and Zeke Cannedy were KM’s only double-digit scorers with 20 and 12 points, respectively. Matt Toms scored seven, Marcus and Orlando Odums six each, Maddox James four and Titus Phillips two.
The undefeated Carson team had no trouble with the KM ladies, running up a 23-2 first quarter lead en route to a 69-33 victory.
Saniya Wilson had a big game with 23 points, four rebounds and four steals but she was the only KM player in double figures.
Tyasya Bell scored three points and also had four rebounds and three blocks. Khalia King had three points, two rebounds and two blocks, Aaliyah Byers two points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Monica Head two points and Kennedy Barnes six rebounds.
A strong 1-3-1 press was the key to Carson’s quick beginning. Kings Mountain rallied in the second period to outscore Carson 14-12 but that still left them behind 25-16 at the break. Carson led 52-23 going into the fourth quarter.
Mary Spril and Carleijh Perry scored 16 points each to lead Carson. Hannah Isley added 13, Colsie Perry and Ellie Wilhelm nine each, Kary Isley six and Camden Carley two.

(March 3, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain sophomore Caleb Holland made a varsity debut that he will remember for a long time Saturday when he returned the opening kickoff of the 2021 spring season 90 yards for a touchdown to spark a 43-7 win over Stuart Cramer.
The Mountaineers would go into the halftime break with a 36-0 lead and turned the contest into a “running clock” game when quarterback Ethan Reid hit Devin Pressley on a 16-yard touchdown across the middle to run the score to 43-0 with 9:52 left in the third quarter.
Cramer scored its only touchdown in the final seconds of the third period when Jesse Allran managed to get past the KM defense for a 15-yard TD reception.
The Mountaineers showed signs of its typical greatness all through the game, but hurt themselves at times with miscues that can be corrected.
“It was a good first game,” said head coach Greg Lloyd. “We made plenty of mistakes but all in all it was good. Our defense was solid and we had a decent running game. The offensive line was better than a week before” when the Mountaineers scrimmaged Burns.
Last year’s leading rusher, junior Rashaard Brooks, finished with 92 yards rushing in 13 carries as the Mountaineers tried to distribute the ball to a lot of players. Quarterback Ethan Reid and running backs Holland and Jaylin Mims also did a good job running the ball.
“Brooks and Mims played well and the kickoff return by our tenth grader was the first time he touched the ball on varsity,” Lloyd said.  “We have to work on a lot of special teams’ breakdowns, but all in all it was good.”
Reid, the top passer in the Big South a year ago, hit 7 of 15 passes for 205 yards.
After KM’s initial score, new placekicker Jayden Ellis put his first varsity kickoff down at the two yard line where Cramer’s Johnny O’Shea caught and returned it to the 21. Three plays later the visitors faced a fourth and 23 at their own seven and the Storm’s punter was tackled in the end zone for a safety to put KM up 9-0.
KM then drove 57 yards in 10 plays to score on a two-yard burst by Jaylin Mims for a 16-0 lead.
The Mountaineers had some problems early with its passing game, but late in the quarter wide receiver Titus Phillips, who had just finished his basketball season earlier in the week, came onto the field and immediately raced down the home sideline past a Cramer defender and caught a pass in stride for a 51 yard touchdown and a 23-0 lead that broke the game open.
Cramer was driving later but Phillips, now in the secondary, intercepted a pass at the one yard line and returned it to the 30. However, a block in the back resulted in KM taking possession at the five. On first down, Reid hit Chance Cannon with a quick screen pass and he went 95 yards down the home sideline for a touchdown and a 29-0 lead.
On their next possession, a 34-yard run off tackle by Brooks was the big run on a drive that ended with Reid’s one-yard sneak and a 36-0 lead with 1:06 left in the half.
Deandre Hoyle recovered a fumble at the Cramer 35 on the first possession of the third quarter to set up Pressley’s touchdown.

KM RUSHING – Brooks 13-92, Reid 6-31, Mims 6-24, Holland 6-25, Patrick 1-2, Team -10.
KM RECEIVING – Cannon 2-103, Fisher 2-23, Phillips 1-51, Hoyle 1-13, Pressley 1-16.
KM SCORING – Holland 6, Mims 6, Reid 6, Cannon 6, Phillips 6, Pressley 6, Ellis 5, Team 2.
INTERCEPTIONS – AJ Richardson, Titus Philllps.
FUMBLE RECOVERY – Deandre Hoyle.

(March 3, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain junior guard Saniya Wilson has been named Big South Basketball Player of the Year by the conference coaches.
She is a repeater on the All-Big South team and was joined there by her teammate, Khalia King.
Wilson, who topped the 1,000 career point mark in a win over Forestview this season, averaged 24.3 points a game in leading the Lady Mountaineers to a tie for second place in the BSC and a berth in the state 3A playoffs. She also set a personal single game record of 40 points in a game against Crest. Jessica Brunson of Crest was named BSC Coach of the Year.
The boys all-conference team will be announced after Crest has completed its run in the state 3A playoffs. The Chargers were schedule to face Weddington in the semi-finals last night.

(February 24, 2021 Issue)

Shelby got a safety on Kings Mountain’s first possession and rolled to a 42-0 victory over the Patriots in the middle schools’ opening football game Wednesday at John Gamble Stadium.
The Blue Devils scored on all of their first half possessions, including one on an interception of a KM pitchout and 48 yard return by Tyjai Johnson.
The Blue Devils got their safety when the KM quarterback stepped out the back of the end zone trying to escape tacklers after Shelby backed the Patriots up to the one-inch line.
KM kicked off from its own 20 and Shelby’s Tristan Tate went untouched from 40 yards out to make the score 8-0.
Shelby scored three more touchdowns in the second quarter to turn the game into a rout.
Kings Mountain was held to two first downs in the game. Coach Kenny Bridges cited Kameron Adams for his play on offense and Max Thompson for his defensive play.
“Hopefully our next two games, which are on the road, will go better,” Bridges said. “I’m thinking Shelby is a whole lot better than anybody in the conference.”
The Patriots were behind the eight-ball going in as they had only four days of practice and are without eight starters from last year that did not come out for football.
The Patriots had only four eighth graders in the starting lineup and they were much smaller, and not nearly as experienced as the Shelby team.
Kameron Adams was selected KMMS offensive player of the game and Max Thompson was selected defensive player of the game.
Kings Mountain will travel to RS Central today and East Rutherford next week. The Patriots’ next home game is against Crest on March 10. Fifth quarter action begins at 4:30 and game-time for the varsity is 5 p.m.  

(February 24, 2021 Issue)

‘Kings Mountain coaches weren’t as interested in scoring more points than Burns as they were getting a chance to see all of their players line up against another team as they scrimmaged county-rival Burns Saturday afternoon at Gamble Stadium.
Both teams scored several times during the scrimmage, but in a running clock varsity only mini-game the Mountaineers out-scored the Bulldogs one TD to zero on a sneak by senior quarterback Ethan Reid.
“A lot of people got to play and it was good to get out there for some live action,” said Mountaineer coach Greg Lloyd. “We saw a lot of good things. The front seven looked really good and our secondary didn’t look too bad.”
As is usually the case early in the season, the defense was ahead of the offense.
“Our passing game’s going to take a little longer to come around,” said Lloyd, who is breaking in a new group of receivers after losing the best two pass-catchers in the conference last year in Kobe Paysour and Quintin Davidson. “After a few games it should be fine.”
The Burns team lost one key player to injury, but Lloyd said the Mountaineers came out fine. They did hold out last year’s leading rusher Rashaard Brooks, who has what Lloyd called a “little nagging injury” but he will be in the lineup Friday night when Stuart Cramer comes to town for the Big South Conference opener.
Lloyd stresses that not just this week’s game, but every game this season will be the “big game of the year, because with us playing only seven games if you drop a game you’re running the risk of not getting in the playoffs. We have to treat each game like it’s a playoff game.”
The Mountaineers blew out Cramer last year in Belmont, but Lloyd said not to expect anything like that Friday night.
“I watched Cramer against East Lincoln and they look really good,” he said. “They are much better than they were last year.”
Lloyd said he was particularly impressed with defensive end Arias Nash and the Cramer quarterbacks.
“They’re passing a lot out of their spread offense,” he noted. “They run a 3-3 stack defense and do a lot of blitzing. They’re going to be much more competitive than they were last year. We have to be ready and play very well.”
The Mountaineers will be wearing two stickers on their helmets this year – Bag in memory of Coach Brent Bagwell who died recently, and the initials of their longtime equipment manager Donnie Mace who died shortly after the end of last football season.
“Bagwell was a great coach and Donnie fixed all our helmets in addition to doing a lot of other things,” Lloyd said. “He spoiled us. He cannot be replaced.”
Lloyd said the Mountaineers will have fewer players  than in the past.
“We have about 70, which is far less than in the past,” he said. “But I think that’s the standard all over the state.”
At the time of this writing, only 100 fans (mostly parents of players and cheerleaders) will be allowed in the stands. However, Governor Cooper is expected to announce higher numbers this week.
“We hope he will allow more,” Lloyd said. “It will create a little bit of atmosphere if more people are allowed in.”

(February 11, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain’s girls and boys led wire to wire in sweeping North Gaston Tuesday night at Donald L. Parker Gymnasium.
The Lady Mountaineers rolled to a 15-8 first quarter lead en route to a 62-33 victory, and the boys opened the game with two treys by Marcus Odums and won easily 80-54.
North Gaston’s boys rallied after those treys to cut the margin to 19-12 after the first quarter but Kings Mountain got a long three-pointer from Isaiah Tate to end the first half up 40-21.
Freshman Zavian Smith had a steal and lay-in at the third quarter buzzer to put KM up 71-41 going into the final quarter.
Coach Grayson Pierce worked reserves in all game long, and no KM starter was on the floor in the final 7:36 after Matt Toms’ two free throws put the Mountaineers up 75-41.
Tate led five double-digit scorers for the Mountaineers with 21 points. Marcus Odums added 14, Orlando Odums 12, Zeke Cannedy 11 and Toms 10.
Titus Phillips and Smith added five points each and Maddox James scored two.
The Lady Mountaineers got another total team effort as they remained just one game back of league-leading Ashbrook.
Saniya Wilson led the way with 17 points, seven assists and seven steals. Khalia King also hit double figures with 12 points, and she pulled down three rebounds.
KM’s only senior, Kennedy Barnes, had an outstanding night as she was honored for her four years of contributions to Lady Mountaineer basketball. She had nine points and 10 rebounds.
“She is a great leader, both on and off the court for us,” said Coach Nicholas Inman. “She is a four-year varsity letterman in basketball and is also the goalkeeper for the girls soccer team.”
Barnes plans to attend Spelman College in the fall.
Six other Lady Mountaineers got into the scoring act. Monica Head had six points, Austyn Dixon six points and four rebounds, Andrea Melton four points and four steals, Tyasya Bell four points and three boards, Brooke Ferree three points and two assists, and Aaliyah Byers two points and five rebounds.
Mallory Canup and Bailey Perry led North Gaston with 10 points each. Sydnee Walls and Whitney Brown had four points each, Allison Gardner three and Leeza Rhyne 2. 

(February 3, 2021 Issue)

Kings Mountain High junior standout Saniya Wilson scored her 1,000th career point in Friday’s 66-47 victory over Hunter Huss on the Lady Huskies’ court Friday.
The win kept the Lady Mountaineers alone in second place in the Big South Conference heading into a game last night at first place Ashbrook.
Kings Mountain will travel to Shelby for a non-conference game tonight before hosting Forestview in its final home game Tuesday. The regular season ends Fri., Feb. 19 at Crest.
Wilson finished with 26 points to lead all scorers. She also had six rebounds, eight assists and four steals.
Khalia King and Aaliyah Byers also scored in double figures for the Lady Mountaineers. King had 17 points, including four threes, and Byers added 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Kennedy Barnes had seven points and four rebounds, Andrea Melton three points and two steals and Brooke Ferree two points, two boards and two steals.
Wilson scored 283 points for the Gaston Day varsity when she was in the eighth grade. Since Gaston Day is a private school, that year of varsity ball will not affect her fourth year of eligibility at KMHS.
The Lady Huskies were led by Jamya Daniels with 16 points, Caitlyn Pettis scored eight, Trinity Swann seven, Lanadia Adams three and James Love and Kenedi Armstrong two each.
In the nightcap, the Huss men gained revenge from an earlier defeat at Kings Mountain with a 73-62 win.
The game was close until the final five minutes when the Huskies pulled away.
Jaylen Moore led the winners with 18 points. Raegan Mackey added 14 and Noah Caulder 12, including 3-for-3 from three-point land.