Brayden Patrick’s grand slam home run highlighted a nine-run first inning that led to a 13-0, four and one-half inning rout of Blacksburg High’s Wildcats in Kings Mountain High’s Lickety Lew’s Night baseball home opener Wednesday at Lancaster Field.
The Mountaineers had only three hits during the inning with winning pitcher Zane Brockman getting the other two – a single and a double. But the Mountaineers took advantage of seven walks, three wild pitches, a hit batsman and an error while sending 14 batters to the plate.
Brockman gave up just two harmless hits and struck out 11 batters in his four innings on the mound. Aidan Taylor pitched the top of the fifth, fanning one batter and issuing two walks. The Wildcats had runners on first and second with two outs and Levi Barrett at the plate when his ground ball to shortstop hit teammate Davon Garrison on his way to third to end the game.
After Blacksburg’s Kolby Capps beat out an infield grounder to deep short to open the game and was immediately sacrificed to second by Wesley Bright, Brockman got out of the inning by striking out three and four hitters Levi Barrett and Justin Wylie.
The bottom of the first saw KM leadoff hitter Jacob Hamrick fly out to medium centerfield, but Capps walked Caleb Broome and the Mountaineer assault began. Brockman’s single to center and two wild pitches brought Irby in from third for what would be the winning run. Two more walks loaded the sacks and Patrick’s grand slam over the left-centerfield fence moved the score to 5-0. Broome was hit by a pitched ball with the bases loaded to make it 6-0. With the bases still loaded, Brockman doubled to run the margin to 9-0.
The Mountaineers scored the game’s final four runs in the bottom of the third when they sent nine men to the plate. An error, infield hit by Hamrick and a walk to Broome loaded the bases. Brockman was hit by a pitch to bring Ellis home with the 10th run. Irby’s single to left ran the score to 12-0 and consecutive walks to Mayes and Patrick accounted for the final run.
Kings Mountain was scheduled to host Gastonia Ashbrook in their first Big South 3A Conference game for last night’s Hotdog Night. The Mountaineers will go to Ashbrook March 17 and will return home March 21 against the Hunter Huss Huskies for a T-shirt Night. Several T-shirts will be given away.

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers edged a strong Cherryville nine 2-1 in a non-conference baseball game last week in Cherryville.
Wyatt Davis pitched five strong innings, sending 13 Ironmen back to the dugout via the strikeout route.
Colton Mayes and Brayden Patrick hurled an inning each.
The game was tied at 1-all after two innings. KM tallied the winning run in the top of the fifth. Cherryville loaded the bases in the fourth and seventh innings but couldn’t score. The Ironmen collected only two hits but KM pitchers issued nine walks.
In another non-conference game Friday, the Mountaineers traveled to the mountains and defeated Enka 10-2. Jack Toney was the winning pitcher.

Kings Mountain High School last week chose one of the winningest football coaches in South Carolina to keep a championship program led for the past 14 years under Coach Greg Lloyd moving forward. Coach Lloyd announced his resignation several weeks ago after rolling up 134 wins, more than double that of any previous Mountaineer mentor.
Strait Herron, who won five state championships at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill and had successful stints at other schools in the Palmetto State, has agreed to be Lloyd’s successor and spent Thursday and Friday at KMHS meeting with players, coaches and others in the community. He said he looks forward to joining the staff and continuing the success built by Lloyd and his staff.
“Coach Lloyd has a great program, so I’m coming into what is already a good coaching situation,” he said. “It’s in great shape. The challenge for me is to keep continuing what he started in the right direction.”
Herron was named head coach last Thursday and met coaches and players.
“I am really excited to be here,” he said. “I will be commuting for the time being but I hope on April 3 to be here teaching full-time.”
He said he will continue to live in Rock Hill, SC, because he has an autistic son. “I’m only about 30 minutes away, and it’s difficult to change his patterns right now. As things improve maybe we can see what we need to do but for right now I want to continue to make things stable for him.”
He may have at least one coaching hire before the ’23 season as defensive coordinator Darrel Wilson has announced his resignation. Wilson will continue to teach at KMHS.
“I plan to come in and talk to every coach and hope they will be staying,” Herron said. “I want to have a highly-qualified offensive and defensive coordinator. I hope to fall right into Coach Lloyd’s position. I took in two classes today (last Thursday). I’m glad to have Coach Lloyd showing me the ropes.”
Herron grew up in Rock Hill where he attended Northwestern High School. He has coached at several schools, most notably Rock Hill’s South Pointe High where his teams won state championships in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. The ‘17 team was ranked #7 in the nation. Prior to becoming a head coach he served as South Pointe’s defensive coordinator during its state championship in 2008 and also had assistant coaching stops at Northwestern, Clover, Strom Thurmond and A.C. Flora.
As a head coach, he was the fastest football coach in South Carolina history to reach 100 wins (100-12). He served as head coach in numerous all-star games, including the 2019 U.S. Army All-American Bowl where his East team beat the West 48-14. In 2018 he was the All-American Bowl National Coach of the Year and was the East team’s defensive coordinator. In 2017 he was invited to the Nike Elite High School Football Coaches Seminar and was the South Carolina High School League Regional Coach of the Year in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2017. In 2015 he was the Carolina Panthers High School Coach of the Week.
He has spoken at the USA Football Conference, Nike COY Clinic. Glazier Football Clinic, Clemson Coaches Clinic, USC Football Coaches Clinic, Virginia Tech Coaches Clinic and the National Defensive Football Clinic.
“We’ll make no promises as far as wins and championships,” he said of his time here, “but we’re going to have guys coaching hard every day to be the best we can be. What you do has to be sound but you have to win championships off the field.
“One of the things we’ll be looking for will be leadership and to hold each other accountable,” he said. “I had a meeting with the team (Thursday) and I felt like I had a great response. That night I had 10 texts from seniors saying they will give me their all. That’s what I want. I look forward to leading them.
“I am already excited about the future. Friday morning several of them sent me their Huddle account. As soon as I get home I’m going to start watching every game from last year. Great players make great coaches.
“The Kings Mountain facilities are great,” he noted. “I loved it the first time I walked through the door of the field house. I didn’t know what to expect. I had to take my phone out and send pictures to my wife. We have a perfect weight room. It’s the real deal. I love the stadium and the turf is fabulous.”

Kings Mountain native Darrell Wilson has resigned his position as defensive coordinator of the Kings Mountain High football team but will continue his teaching and basketball duties at the school.
Wilson joined head coach Greg Lloyd’s staff eight years ago after coaching stints at Hunter Huss, Bessemer City and Forestview. During that time he mentored several defensive standouts that went on to play at the collegiate level including such stars as Jake Merchant, Day Day Wilson, Javari Wilson, Jerdon Pressley, Nathan Lease, Derek Wilson, James Ussery, Chance Cannon, Jeremiah Brown, Xavier Brown, Kobe Paysour, Ty Ledbetter, Marquiz Fewell and others. Many of his defensive standouts from the recently completed 2022 season such as All-State defensive lineman AJ Richardson will begin their college football experience in the fall.
Wilson lived on Hilltop and Cansler Street as a youngster. As an eighth grader he lived with KMHS assistant Coach Rick Fortner. Prior to his freshman year of high school he moved to Gastonia to live with his mother and became a football star for the Hunter Huss Huskies under head coach and former KMHS athlete David Bolin. He started four years at Appalachian State under the legendary head coach Jerry Moore and George Edwards, his linebacker coach, who is now coaching with Tampa Bay in the NFL.
“I really liked coaching,” Wilson said. “I loved working with the kids, getting to know them and forming relationships. We set a lot of defensive records during my time here, such as shutouts and having several players named Conference Player of the Year. Several times we got on a roll. It seems like we’d have four to five shutouts a year and had a lot of streaks where we gave up zero points.”
Wilson gave credit to players like the ones listed above, but also to other defensive coaches like Jeff Williams, James Brown, Matt Bridges, Tom Lease, Demise Williams and others.
“Tom Lease played at Ohio State and Demise Williams at Oklahoma State,” he noted. “We always had good defensive staffs.
“We had some good defensive teams,” he added. “We beat some #1 seeds in state playoff games. I remember beating an undefeated number one team at Freedom that had the number one ranked running back (BJ Emmons) in the nation that went on to play at Alabama. We held him to 15 yards. And, another time we beat an undefeated Northwest Cabarrus team.
“We always had good game plans and beat some very good teams over the years. But, the thing I will miss most will be the players.”
Wilson said he also enjoyed serving as an assistant coach in girls basketball, and he will probably continue that. Some of his most enjoyable seasons were when his daughter, Saniya, was playing for the Lady Mountaineers. She is now at Catawba College but missed her entire freshman season because of knee surgery.
“She was red-shirted and still has four years of eligibility, but she will be a junior after this semester so I don’t know if she will get in four years of basketball,” he noted
Wilson said he is probably not finished as a football coach.
“While I was on the staff we always had a good offense and defense,” he said. “I hope the new coach will be successful. I will take a year off but hope to be back in coaching someday. It’s nice to win championships but what’s more important is developing young men and helping them get to the next level and be productive citizens.”

Kings Mountain High placed four players on All-Big South Conference basketball teams.
Freshmen Bradley Floyd was selected to the first team and freshman Tucker Robinette and junior Zavion Smith were on the second team. Senior CoRey Simpson was a first team selection on the women’s team.
Joining Floyd on the first team were Player of the Year Justin Ross of Hunter Huss, Amareion Goodlett of Crest, Stepfon Simmons of North Gaston, Isaac Byers of North Gaston and Greyson Kiner of South Point. Coach of the Year was Kody Kubbs of South Point.
Joining Robinette and Smith on the second team were Nate Aguilar and Brandon Alfonse of Forestview, Dylan Bradley of South Point, Tylik Briscoe of Crest, Jashawn Clark of Ashbrook, Z-Man Gladden of Hunter Huss, Sean Gore of South Point, Kenneth Greene of Ashbrook, Jacob Joyner of Cramer, Justin Rocquemore of Cramer and Jaquis Rumph of South Point.
Player of the Year for the women’s team was Madison Cole of Ashbrook. Coach of the Year as Bobby Lipscomb of Huss.
Joining Simpson on the women’s second team were Nykira Arrington of Ashbrook, Maddie Frank of South Point, Savanni Harris of Huss, Kari Lee of Crest, Anyssiah Love of Huss, Amani Neely of Forestview, Sydnee Walls of North Gaston and Hadley Womack of Cramer.

Kings Mountain High’s women’s softball team will warm up for its 2023 season Saturday with its annual scrimmage at the YMCA.
Eight teams will be involved in the event, beginning at 9 a.m.
Coach Kevin Cruise said the Lady Mountaineers will open their regular season on Wednesday, March 1 against the Burns Lady Bulldogs.
Cruise said the team has already won scrimmage games against Draughn, North Buncombe and Hibriten and did not give up a single run.
With several veterans returning, the Lady Mountaineers could make a strong run in the Big South 3A Conference.
Two of their leading players, Austyn Dixon and Alayna Patrick, have already made commitments to attend and play college ball at USC-Aiken and Gaston College, respectively. Dixon was last year’s Big South Player of the Year. Their ace pitcher Kali Weaver also returns.
The Big South Conference is always one of the toughest around and Coach Cruise feels like the Lady Mountaineers will be right in the thick of the battle for first place. Most of his players have varsity starting experience and he also has some promising freshmen in Madeline Huffman and Ava Tipton.
“We’re very young,” he noted. “There’s a good chance we could start four to five freshmen. All of them are very talented. This freshman class may be one of the most talented since the Morgan Childers group (that won championships). We look for this group to be very good.
“Practice has been going very well,” he added. “We’ve been able to dodge the rain. We were outside every day last week. Every player is working hard. The season is coming on us pretty quickly and we have so much to get in. They’ve all done good and competing every day. We’ve got a really good group. The defense looks solid and our pitching will lead us. We have three quality pitchers and any one of them can be dominant. The defense is leaps and bounds better than last year and we have good depth.”
Coach Cruise has three good assistants in Jeff Cloninger, Cassie King and Shon Macopson.

Kings Mountain High’s baseball team has several returning starters from last year’s Big South Conference championship team and they hope to add another trophy to their collection.
Veteran Coach Brad Melton put the Mountaineers through a couple of scrimmage games Saturday at Lancaster Field and they will begin their regular season February 27 at East Rutherford. Their first three games will be on the road as they go to Enka on March 3 and Cherryville on March 7.
The Mountaineers will host Blacksburg in their first home game on March 8 and will entertain the Ashbrook Green Wave in their first Big South game on March 14.   Melton played all of his players in the two scrimmage games against Chase Saturday at Lancaster Field and saw a lot of promise. All of the returning starters and newcomers played well.
The Mountaineers return seven seniors, including last year’s Big South Conference Player of the Year Zane Brockman who was undefeated (8-0) on the mound and had his usual hot bat hitting well over the .300 clip.
Centerfielder Jacob Hamrick, a two-time All-Conference standout, also returns. Wyatt Davis, who also had a great year on the mound and led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts, also has looked good in early drills.
Catcher Cole Irby, left fielder Lucas Saldo and first baseman-DH Hunter Ellis also were heavy hitters and plan to continue their success this spring. Colton Mayse, Brayden Patrick and Ty Toney also return.
“Pitching should be our strength,” Melton says. “We hope to be better overall. I feel really positive about the offense. We only lost three seniors. We’ll miss them but we have a good senior class.”
The Mountaineers finished 12-2 in the conference and 18-6 overall last year. Their BSC championship was Kings Mountain’s first since 2009.
“We should be competitive in the Big South,” Melton said. “We should have as good a shot as anybody.”
Melton predicted North Gaston, which has two good pitchers, and Crest to be solid contenders. Stuart Cramer will also be dangerous as the Storm has a pitcher that throws the ball 96 mph.
“South Point’s always good but they lost a lot of players,” he said.” I think we’ll see the same teams at the top of the conference. We’re just glad that we’re going to be one of them.”
Melton begins his fifth year as head coach of the Mountaineers and they’ve been first, second or third every year. They went 4-1 in the shortened COVID year when they would have been one of the favorites to win the conference.
Melton will again be assisted by John Gamble and Wil Sellers.
“We need to get a lot of work in,” he said. “This week’s supposed to be nice and we can get outside and get a lot done. We hope the good weather continues.”
Melton said the Mountaineers will have some promotional nights this season that the fans will enjoy. They will honor the 1989 and 1993 state championship teams and have some other promotions for the fans to enjoy.
The first game’s promotional night will be Lickety Lew’s Night which will feature free giveaways. Other special nights include Hotdog Night ($1 hot dogs) on March 14, T-shirt Night (free T-shirt giveaways) on March 21, Retro Night (80’s music) on March 31, Little League Night (teams invited and kids run bases after the game) on April 6, Earth Day Night (free giveaways from the city) on April 18, Senior Night (honoring all senior players)  on April 28, Champion Night featuring a shortened game pitting the 1989 and 1983 state championship teams against each other) on April 28 and Thirsty Night (half price drinks at the concession stand) on May 5.

See more photos in the February 22, 2023 issue of KM Herald

Kings Mountain High School honored one of its best football teams ever Thursday night with a meal and awards night at First Baptist Church.
The 2022 Mountaineers won the Big South 3A Conference and 13 games overall before falling to the state 3A champion East Lincoln Mustangs in the fourth round of the NCHSAA playoffs.
At the close of the meeting, Greg Lloyd’s family announced a new Kenny Lloyd Team Before Self award that will be given annually in memory of Greg’s father Kenny Lloyd. It was presented to Catherine Hicks, wife of former head coach Denny Hicks and one of the Mountaineers’ biggest fans since she moved to Kings Mountain in the early 1980s.
Trophy presentations started with the defense and defensive coordinator Darrel Wilson praised his group which allowed just 14 points per game to claim their fourth conference championship in 16 years.
Wilson said it was considered a rebuilding year but “we just kept pushing each other and the team played for each other.”
Wilson pointed out that the KM defense allowed just 14.6 points per game. “The team made me a better coach,” he said.
Athletic director Matt Bridges presented the best defensive back awards to Jake Lloyd and Bryson Brown.
“We had a special group, top to bottom,” Bridges said.
Brown led the team with six pass interceptions and also had 29 solo tackles. Just a junior, he was a second year starter and All-Conference.
Lloyd was a three-year starter and was All-Conference as well. He registered 69 solo tackles while playing multiple positions and did that shortly after undergoing some medical problems that had him hospitalized in serious condition during the summer.
Head coach Greg Lloyd presented the Jeff Putnam Linebacker Award to Jason Melton. Putnam was an assistant coach for the Mountaineers for several years before his death.
“I never met a more proud Mountaineer than Jeff,” noted Coach Lloyd. “We miss him.”
Melton “was an outstanding linebacker who worked very hard,” Coach Lloyd noted. He had 80 solo tackles and a season average of 6.3 tackles per game. He also recorded five quarterback sacks.
Coach Wilson presented the most improved defensive player award to Antonio Armstrong who registered 64 tackles (4.6 per game) and a very impressive 25 tackles for loss.
“We had a lot of great players on defense,” Coach Wilson noted. “Defense for us starts up front. He transferred in and had to learn the KM way. He’s one of the fastest players coming off the line.”
Wilson presented the Defensive Lineman Award to Jamel Kennedy. “He hustles 100 percent on every play,” Wilson noted. “He plays faster than he runs the forty.”
Wilson presented the Defensive Coach’s Award to versatile junior Zay Smith, who plays many positions on offense, defense and special teams.
“He plays with a lot of passion,” Wilson noted. “He is a flexible player.”
The Defensive MVP Award went to Curtis Simpson, a junior who is being courted by numerous major college teams.
“He will make a name for himself in college,” Wilson said. “He works hard. He got hurt late in the season but led the state in sacks. We’re glad he will be coming back next season.”
Assistant coach Michael Harris presented the special teams award to kicker Jaden Ellis, a third year starter who in ‘22 hit 58 of 62 PAT attempts, three of six field goals and had 23 touchbacks. Over his career he scored 156 points and hit 90 percent of his PATs. He also recorded 50 touchbacks.
Harris also noted that AJ Richardson recorded five blocked kicks and team had 12 overall.
The offensive back awards went to leading rusher Teddy Jeffries, who finished with 1144 yards rushing and 19 TDs and Caleb Holland, a versatile player that also gained close to 1,000 yards.
“We had a very talented group,” noted Coach Bell. “Jeffries can score from anywhere on the field. Holland is small but he’s tough. He ran hard and was a great leader. Give him that ball and he’s going to score.”
Coach Mark Latham presented the wide receiver award to Ja’Qualyn Sanders who caught 45 passes for 762 yards and five TDs.
“We had a great group,” he said. “Sanders plays wide receiver like a linebacker. He breaks tackles. He has an unlimited amount of potential.”
Coach Cruise presented the Fred Plonk Blocking Trophy – the oldest trophy given at KMHS dating back to the early 1950s – to Michael Lubas line comes off the field, we talk and all they wanted to do was run the ball,” noted Coach Cruise. “He’s one of the smartest guys out there and one of the finest young men.”
The most improved player on offense was lineman Alex Jackson, who also drew high compliments from Coach Cruise.
“He is a lot of fun to coach,” Cruise said. “Tenacious is a good word for all of my guys. All of them want to be in the forefront of winning football games.”
Cruise presented the offensive most valuable player award to Isaiah Eskridge, who must love pancakes because Cruise said he had “pancake after pancake” on the football field.
“Our offense wins as the offensive line goes,” Cruise said. “He always plays hard and had more pancakes than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Coach Lloyd presented the Brent Bagwell Offensive Coaches Award to quarterback Lamont Littlejohn. Bagwell was an all-conference lineman at KMHS and NC State and served the Mountaineers for several years before his death as an assistant coach.
“He was gone too soon,” Coach Lloyd said. “He was very instrumental in the progress of our program. He is missed daily and will never be forgotten.”
Lloyd noted that Littlejohn was an All-Conference quarterback and during his time as a starter led the team to a 23-4 overall record.
“He stays calm all the time,” Lloyd said, “and he was calming influence on our team.”
As a junior and senior, Lloyd pointed out that Littlejohn led the Mountaineers on some late-game winning drives in the state playoffs, moving the team 99 yards in the final minute to defeat Franklin his junior year and completing some big passes in the final minute to set up the winning TD against West Charlotte last season.
Littlejohn finished his senior year hitting 155 of 240 passes for 2,488 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Donnie Mace Tough Man of the Year trophy went to senior Jake Lloyd, who was in very critical condition with COVID and pneumonia during the summer of 2022. He spent 11 days in the hospital.
“Football was the furthest thing on our minds,” Coach Lloyd noted. “Through good doctors and the prayers of a lot of people he pulled through. Then he fractured his finger on the first day of seven on sevens but was able to come back and play his senior year.”
The awards presentation ended with Coach Lloyd presenting the most valuable player trophy to the very versatile senior AJ Richardson, who was not just a nightmare for opponents on defense but was an unstoppable running back on short yardage plays in the shadow of the end zone.
“We had a lot of special players,” Lloyd said, “but AJ was really special and is going to do great things in college.”
Richardson was the team’s only four-year starter. His senior year he registered 92 tackles and 32 tackles for loss. He also blocked multiple kicks. During Richardson’s time on the field, the Mountaineers went 43-3 in the Big South Conference and 43-8 overall.
Other awards:
Seniors that came up through the KM Optimist program – Caleb Holland, Jake Lloyd and Dalton Smith – received awards from Lavon Clark.
All Big South 3A awards – Bryson Brown, Michael Lubas, Lamont Littlejohn, Zay Smith, Jake Lloyd, Antonio Armstrong, Teddy Jeffries, Curtis Simpson, Isaiah Eskridge, AJ Richardson.
BSC Defensive Player of the Year, All-Conference and All-State – Curtis Simpson.
All-State and BSC Lineman of the Year – Isaiah Eskridge.
All-State and BSC Defensive Player of the Year – AJ Richardson.
Seniors – Caleb Holland, Jake Lloyd, Lamont Littlejohn, AJ Richardson, Jaden Ellis, Dariyon Black, Michael Lubas, Dalton Smith, Isaiah Eskridge.


 

Five members of the Kings Mountain track team participated in the 3A State Indoor Track and Field Meet last week.
Sophomore Max Thompson was the Mountaineers’ highest finisher. He finished ninth in the 1000 meters in 2:42.22.
Hunter Cruise finished 15th in the pole vault with a vault of 11 feet even.
Senior Nicolas Horn was 21st in the pole vault at 9’6”.
The 4x800 relay team finished 12th. Team members were Hunter Cruise, Marty Lovingood, Elliot Habel and Max Thompson.
The outdoor track and field team will begin practice on February 20.

Programs Include
Recognition of 1963
Men’s Conference Winners
and Title IX Celebration

The Gardner-Webb University Office of Alumni Relations has planned a full week for HOOPSCOMING in February. Alumni, former athletes, and friends are invited to return to campus for two special events on Feb. 11 and 18.
“We are eager to have our alumni and friends back in Paul Porter Arena for Hoopscoming 2023,” asserted Director of Alumni Relations Leah Clevenger. “For our athletes, there is nothing better than having a packed house! The school spirit and energy that our alumni and friends bring, particularly our basketball and cheer alumni, make for an exciting atmosphere for our Runnin’ Bulldogs. We want to see everyone in their red, black, and bulldog for Hoopscoming on Feb. 11 as well as Legacy & Legends on Feb. 18.”
The program on Feb. 11 begins with lunch at noon in Bost Gym. A special feature is the recognition of the men’s team of 1963 on the 60th anniversary of their conference win. During lunch, team member and GWU Trustee, Tom Watson, will speak about the excitement of that big win for Gardner-Webb. Guests will also hear from coaches, Women’s Basketball Alumna, Linda Cody Shelton ’78, as well as Cheer Alumna, Molly McKinney Huss ’12. Then, everyone will attend the men’s game vs. Campbell at 2 p.m. that includes recognition of groups at various timeouts. All men’s basketball alumni will be recognized during one timeout, and the team of ’63 will have a distinct recognition at another. The cost for lunch and the game is $20. Register here.
On Feb. 18, the program is “Legacy & Legends: Women’s Basketball Celebrates Title IX.” The event starts at 2 p.m. in Stewart Hall. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served, and Women’s Head Coach Alex Simmons will speak along with Lauren Bevis, recently named Big South Conference women’s basketball Co-Player of the Week and the program’s all-time leader in career three-pointers made in the Division I era.
Alumni and friends will also have an opportunity to meet all the women’s basketball team members and coaching staff. A behind the scenes tour of the team and facilities will be offered. The game against UNC-Asheville starts at 4 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena. Women’s basketball alumni will have the honor of “building a human tunnel” for the starting five and special seating behind the bench as guests of Simmons. They will be recognized at halftime and receive a Title IX celebration T-shirt. The cost for the program and the game is $20. Register here.
Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 working days prior to the event.  Please call 704-406-4270 or email disabilityservices@gardner-webb.edu with your request.

Kings Mountain High senior football player AJ Richardson has signed to continue his education and football career at Norfolk State University. He is pictured, front row center, with his sister Akireona Richardson, left, and his mother Takenya Young. Back row, left to right, are KMHS principal Dustin Morehead, head coach Greg Lloyd, defensive coaches Darrel Wilson and Michael Kennedy, and athletic director Matt Bridges.

 Photos by Gary Smart

Greg Lloyd, the winningest football coach in the 100-year history of Kings Mountain High football, has resigned after 16 years with the Mountaineers.
Lloyd’s accomplishments were many during that time. He compiled a record of 133-71 which included conference championships in 2008, 2017, spring 2021 and 2022. His Mountaineers played for the Western Regional championship in 2008, 2015, 2018 and 2019. Prior to coming here he coached two years at East Gaston and led the Warriors to their conference championship.
His teams here posted a 21-13 record in playoff games and his 2019 team set the all-time school record of 653 points in a season. He was Southwestern Foothills Conference Coach of the Year in 2008 and Big South Conference Coach of the Year in 2017, 2021 and 2022. He served as head coach of the West team in the 2017 NCHSAA East-West game. His 2021-22 team had the second highest GPA in the state. Over 60 of his players went on to play college football. Many of the seniors on his last team (fall of 2022) will be playing college football in the fall.
Lloyd was inducted into the Kings Mountain Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
“I’ll never forget how excited I was to be in Kings Mountain,” he said. “It was such a great opportunity and the support was great. The talent was always very good.”
One of the first things Lloyd did was to bring Kevin Cruise, Dustin Morehead and Craig Short to join his coaching staff.
“We got off to a good start,” Lloyd said. “That second year everything started coming together. We had Michael Roberts (at quarterback) and a lot of other good players and we shutout Shelby 21-0. We went to the playoffs and in the third round we beat Mooresville, who had a 200-yard per game rusher and we held him to just a few yards. That was a phenomenal season.
“We lost out to Kannapolis and Coach (Ron) Massey. Michael Roberts had hurt his ankle the week before but we still made it a close game.”
Lloyd and the Mountaineers had some good teams in the seasons that followed, but beginning in 2015 the team got on a roll that continues to this day.
“We really started to win in 2014,” he noted. “And then 2015 was a really good year. Adding Daryl Wilson and Michael Kennedy to the staff really helped us. We went to Freedom (in the playoffs) and they had B.J. Emmons who was one of the most highly recruited running backs in the nation. They were coming into the game with a 13-0 record and we beat them.
“In the 2018 playoffs undefeated Northwest Cabarrus came in and we had people like Kaylon Wade, Kobe Paysour and Ricaylen Mack and we beat them.
“Another big game I remember was in 2019 at Charlotte Catholic and it was 7-7 after regulation. We went seven overtimes and lost 56-49. We beat Shelby 42-17 that year and that was a really big win for us.
“In 2020 we probably had our most talented players,” he noted. “Kobe Paysour left early to go to Chapel Hill but we swept the county. We broke a long losing streak against Shelby. We hadn’t beaten them since ’86.
“In the ’21 playoffs we drove 98 yards at the end of the game to beat a good Franklin team. Last season we swept the county and beat South Point but we lost in the playoffs to East Lincoln.
“During my time here we had good players and good fans,” he noted. “We always had big crowds. I appreciate the band and cheerleaders and the support of the parents and fans. Everybody did their part.
“I appreciate our principals. Ronny Funderburke gave me the opportunity to come to Kings Mountain. I appreciated Julie Rikard and Dr. (Dustin) Morehead.
“Our athletic directors during my time were really good – Suzanne Grayson, Mark Latham, Dustin Morehead and Matt Bridges. All of them supported me. It’s just been exciting coaching in Kings Mountain. I know I’m going to miss it a lot. I may coach again someday but right now I just need to take the fall off so I can watch Maggie play (at Western) and then Jake wherever he goes.
“I’m very thankful for my time as the football coach at Kings Mountain. It was really special. I think I will get back into coaching someday. I’ve been coaching for 28 falls. You’ll definitely see me coaching again. I hope I’ve got some good years left.
“Football shaped me,” he added. “I hope the players have learned some life lessons from us. I’m grateful for the support of the fans and for all the friends we’ve made in Kings Mountain. Kings Mountain is a great community.
“I can still see (the late) Major Loftin at every practice, and I’ll never forget (the late KMHS equipment manager) Donnie Mace. They were special Mountaineers.
“I had two coaches that are no longer with us – Brent Bagwell and Jeff Putnam. They were excellent men and excellent coaches. And, I want to thank superintendents Bruce Boyles and Stephen Fisher who were great supporters of our program and really good to me. It was an honor to know them and all the other good people in Kings Mountain. I have memories that will last me forever.”
Although he won’t be on the sidelines, Coach Lloyd said he won’t be a stranger.
“I will still be around and will be supporting the program from now on,” he said. “We have a lot of talented players coming back and I expect them to do very well this year. It will be a fun year for the Mountaineers.
“I want to thank Beth. She’s the perfect coach’s wife. She let me live out my dream. And, I want to thank Maggie and Jake. I watched them in sports from the time they were little until they grew up. I’m just thankful for everybody that supported me. I had tons of help. It’s been a great 16 years.”
Mountaineer athletic director Matt Bridges, who was also one of Lloyd’s assistant coaches, said the school planned to begin accepting applications for the head football job this week.
“I would like to thank and congratulate Coach Greg Lloyd for his 16 years of service to our football program, school and community,” Bridges said. “Coach Lloyd and the Lloyd family have dedicated their lives to building a successful program on and off the field, and they will be greatly missed. Coach Lloyd is a great coach and an even better person. The life lessons he taught his student-athletes and coaches will continue to leave a lasting impact for years to come. I wish the best for Coach Lloyd as he steps into the next chapter of his life.”

See more photos on Page 1B of the February 1, 2023 issue of KM Herald

Despite losing to a strong Stuart Cramer team Friday night in Belmont, Kings Mountain High’s senior standout Khalia King passed a personal milestone by topping the 1,000 point mark for her four-year varsity career.
King needed five points to reach thousand but she finished with a game-high 27 in a 70-41 loss. That increased her career point mark to 1,022 points.
King was the only double digit scorer for the Lady Mountaineers. Tyasha Bell, Farri Martin and Mia Bridges added four each and CoRey Simpson added two. Hadley Womack led the Storm with 20.
Kings Mountain’s men kept their conference winning streak going in the nightcap with a 65-53 win over the Purple Storm. That set up a Cleveland County head-to-head battle with the Crest Chargers last night at Crest for sole possession of first place in what was the final first round game of the season.
The Mountaineers stay on the road Friday for a Big South battle with the Ashbrook Green Wave and go to Hunter Huss on Tuesday. They don’t have another home game until they open second round BSC play with North Gaston on January 27 at Parker Gym.
The KM men led most of the way, leading the Storm 17-11 after one period, 30-19 at the half and 44-34 going into the fourth quarter.
The Mountaineers placed four players in double figures, led by Tucker Robinette with 16. Bradley Floyd scored 12 and Curtis Simpson and Bryson Brown 10 each.
The win left the Mountaineers with a 6-0 conference and 9-5 overall mark while Cramer fell to 2-4, 6-10.
GIRLS BOXSCORE
KM (41) – King 27, Bell 4, Bridges 4, Simpson 2, Martin 4.
SC (70) – Womack 20, Holland 12, Duncan 14.
BOYS BOXSCORE
KM (65) – Robinette 16, Floyd 12, Simpson 10, Brown 10, Smith 6, Lenair 4, Osborne 3, Sanders 2, Linney 2.
SC (53) – Rocaqumore 16, Hill 10, Sloan 10, Joyner 9, Rybczyk 4, Whitley 4. 

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers finished 1-2 in their annual Christmas tournament last week at Parker Gym, getting a 61-53 win over East Rutherford sandwiched around losses of 54-50 to Harding and 66-58 to Rock Hill.
Harding jumped out front 16-12 after the first period and 26-25 at the half in Wednesday’s opening round. The teams were tied at 36-all after three periods but an 18-14 scoring advantage over the final eight minutes gave Harding the win.
KM freshman Bradley Floyd was the game’s top scorer with 20 points. Freshman Tucker Robinette added 11 and junior Curtis Simpson 10. Kendarian Thomas led Harding with 17, Elton Davis scored 16 and Chase Bryson 14.
The Mountaineers bounced back Thursday to edge the East Rutherford Cavaliers 61-53 behind the 1-2 scoring punch of Floyd with 19 points and Charlie Foster with 14.
Dacen Petty led the Cavaliers with 20 points and Tyler Barksdale and Grayson Burleson added 11 apiece.
Friday’s battle with Rock Hill was close before the visitors pulled away in the second half. The Mountaineers were led by Floyd with 19 points, Foster 15 and Robinette 10. Byrd and Huston scored 18 and 11, respectively, to lead the visitors.
The Mountaineers will resume Big South 3A Conference action Friday at Gastonia Forestview and will host a strong South Point five Tuesday, January 10 at Donald L. Parker Gymnasium. They will stay at home on Thursday, January 12 for a non-conference game against county rival Burns.
GAME ONE
KM (50) – Floyd 20, Robinette 13, Simpson 10, Wilson 5, Brown 4.
Harding (54) – Thomas 17, E. Davis 16, Bryson 14, K. Davis 4, Bradshaw 3.
GAME TWO
KM (61) – Floyd 19, Foster 14, Robinette 8, Simpson 4, Cole 4, Wilson 3, Brown 2, Smith 2.
ER (53) – Petty 20, Barksdale 11, Burleson 11, Atkins 5, Pinkerton 2, Hunter 2, Watkins 2.
GAME THREE
KM (58) – Floyd 19, Foster 15, Robinette 10, Sanders 6, Simpson 4, Linney 3, Brown 1.
RH (66) – Byrd 18, Huston 11, Carter 9, Webb 8, Wilson 5, Cormell 3, Young 3, McKinney 2.

Kings Mountain’s Mountaineers placed nine players on the All-Big South Conference team, including three that were Players of the Year, and Coach Greg Lloyd was voted BSC Coach of the Year for the recently-completed 2022 football season.
First team selections were offensive linemen Isaiah Eskridge and Michael Lubas. First team defensive selections were linemen AJ Richardson and Curtis Simpson and defensive back Jake Lloyd. Richardson was also selected Defensive Player of the Year, Eskridge was selected Offensive Lineman of the Year and Simpson was named Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Making the second team were running back/defensive back Bryson Brown, running back Teddy Jeffries, quarterback Lamont Littlejohn and receiver/defensive back and return specialist Zavian Smith.
Simpson, who has already received numerous major college offers, Brown, Jeffries and Smith will return next season to lead the Mountaineers to another run for the conference championship. Richardson, Lubas, Eskridge, Littlejohn and Lloyd will graduate in the spring and hopefully continue their football exploits in the collegiate ranks.
Hunter Huss sophomore Jayden Gash, whose father Daryl played for the Mountaineers in the late eighties and early nineties, made the first team as a return specialist and was also named Special Teams Player of the Year. He returned the opening kickoff in the Huss at Kings Mountain game which was the only time the Mountaineers were behind in a regular season game.
The Offensive Player of the Year was Ny’Tavious Huskey of Crest.
First team All Conference:
QB, Ny’Tavious Huskey, Crest.
RB – Carmelo Bess, Ashbrook.
OL – Isaiah Eskridge, Kings Mountain; Michael Lubas, Kings Mountain; Sullivan Absher, South Point; Tymon Childs, Ashbrook; Myles Jackson, Forestview; Trent Mitchell, Ashbrook.
Athletes – Malachi Addison, Crest; Javarius Green, Crest; Christian Holland, Forestview; Isaiah Johnson, Cramer; Cam Medlock, South Point, Justin Rocquemore, Cramer.
DL – AJ Richardson, KM, Curtis Simpson, KM, Devon Biggers, Ashbrook, Davonyae Pettus, Crest.
LB – Daimean Fernandez, Cramer, Dezmun Porter, Crest, James Taylor, Huss.
DB – Jake Lloyd, KM, Gene Neely, Huss, Will Ross, South Point, Sincere Sanders-Moss, Ashbrook.
Specialists – Charlie Birtwistle, SP, Jayden Gash, Huss, JJ Gordon, North Gaston.
Second team:
Bryson Brown, KM, Teddy Jeffries, KM, Lamont Littlejohn, KM, Zavian Smith, KM, AJ Adams, Crest, Nathaniel Aguilar, Forestview, Patrick Blee, South Point, Noah Comer, Forestview, Chaynce Ford, South Point, Derek Mitchell, Crest, Christian Mixter, Forestview, Kenneth Odugba, Forestview, Jaquis Rumph, South Point, Josh Smith, North Gaston, Hudson Spargo, South Point, Tyler Ward, Cramer.

Kings Mountain freshman Bradley Floyd’s running jumper from the baseline with five seconds remaining in the game, along with his steal of Ashbrook’s inbounds pass capped an exciting 50-48 victory over Ashbrook’s Green Wave in the two teams’ opening Big South 3A Conference battle Friday night at KM’s Donald L. Parker Gymnasium.
A big defensive steal by KM’s Zay Smith with 27.3 seconds remaining resulted in a timeout by the Mountaineers to set up the winning shot and KM’s third win in four games overall.
Kings Mountain’s girls weren’t as fortunate in the opener. Leading by just 38-33 going into the fourth quarter, Ashbrook outscored the Lady Mountaineers 22-5 to cap a 60-38 victory.
Floyd would finish with 13 points to lead the Mountaineer scoring against a veteran Ashbrook five. Priest Wilson scored 10, Tucker Robinette eight, Charlie Foster seven, Smith and Kee’Donn Linney four each and Bryson Brown and Ja’Qualyn Sanders two each. Ashbrook was led by Kenneth Greene with 13 and Jashuan Clark with 10.
The game was close throughout. Neither team could get anything going in the first period. Two free throws by Foster gave the Mountaineers an 11-9 lead heading into the second stanza. KM held the lead most of the second period but Ashbrook’s Gabriel June ran the baseline for a basket that put the Wave on top 22-21 at the half.
After the Wave built a 32-25 lead in the first three minutes of the third period, the Mountaineers got late baskets by Tucker Robinette and Floyd to go into the final quarter up 37-34.
Ashbrook scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to take a 38-37 lead. KM got even at 43-all on a basket by Floyd with three minutes remaining, and went on top 46-43 on a bucket by Sanders with 2:14 left.
Ashbrook regained the lead at 48-46 on a bucket by Jashuan Clark with 1:13 remaining but Brown’s baseline runner knotted the score at 48-all with 1:13 to play. Ashbrook was whistled for a charge with a minute left but got the ball back following a KM missed shot. The Green Wave was running the clock down for a last shot of their own but Smith made the steal of the game to set up a time out and Floyd’s late heroics.
The girls’ game was just as close and exciting in the first three periods, but Ashbrook proved itself to be a championship contender by dominating the fourth quarter.
After KM got off to a 5-3 lead on two baskets by Khalia King, the visitors got on track and led 18-15 at the quarter break. Consecutive threes by King got the KM ladies back on top 21-19 but Ashbrook answered with buckets by Tori Brooks and Madison Cole to regain the lead at 23-21. The visitors wouldn’t trail again.
Down 37-26 at the half, KM rallied behind buckets by King, CoRey Simpson and Alayna Patrick to pull to within 38-33 heading into the fourth period. Ashbrook began pressing on defense and turned the game into a rout.
King led the KM scoring with 13 points. Simpson had a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Patrick added seven points, Bell two and Myracle Davis four.

By Loretta Cozart

Coach Greg Lloyd and 32 of the Kings Mountain High School football players visited North Elementary School on November 10.
The high schoolers partnered with North students to read with them as part of our PALS program. Football players visited the classrooms and read to the students.
North students lined the hallway and cheered on the Mounties who are in the state playoffs and ranked number one in their division this year.

Kings Mountain’s Caleb Holland returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to spark a 42-point first quarter and a 42-6 victory over St. Stephens in the opening round of the state 3A playoffs Friday night at John Gamble Stadium.
Before four minutes were gone off the clock, the Mountaineers had built a 21-0 lead and it was evident the Indians would be no match for the top-ranked KM eleven.
Following Holland’s return and Jaden Ellis’s PAT for a quick 7-0 lead, the Mountaineer defense held the Indians to three and out and Xzorion Lenair returned a punt to the visitors’ 44. Teddy Jeffries took a handoff from quarterback Lamont Littlejohn and went off right tackle for a 14-0 lead.
With the Indians facing third and 22 from their own 21 on the next series, Jake Lloyd broke in front of the Indians’ intended receiver for an interception and a 36-yard burst down the visitors’ sideline for a 21-0 lead with just 3:55 gone off the clock.
Following another three and out highlighted by a five yard tackle for loss by AJ Richardson and a nine yard loss on Antonio Armstrong’s sack, the Indians had to punt again and Lenair returned it 42 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-0 with 6:25 still left in the first period.
Another three and out forced the Indians to punt again. This time, the Mountaineers took possession at their own 49. Following two carries by Holland for 17 and five yards – sandwiched around a 13-yard reception by Ja’Qualyn Sanders - Littlejohn hit Bryson Brown on a slant for a 35-0 lead with 3:38 on the clock.
The Indians picked up their initial first down on a face mask penalty against the Mountaineers, but the defense quickly took charge again and held them at midfield. After a holding penalty on KM, Littlejohn hit Jake Lloyd with a pass for 19 yards and a first down at the Indians’ 41 and Jeffries took care of the rest for a 42-0 lead with still 1:17 left on the first quarter clock.
That would be the end of the Mountaineer scoring, largely because the home team did not wish to run up the score. The coaching staff began substituting and all starters were on the sidelines in the second half supporting the second unit.
“We got everybody in the game and that’s good,” noted Coach Greg Lloyd. “We were able to rest some people. I doubt if the first team offense played maybe 12 plays. They didn’t get a lot of work but getting the lead helped us keep people fresh for this week. Simpson rolled his ankle but otherwise we’re pretty healthy. I think he’ll be able to play Friday.”
The Indians were able to finally get into KM territory late in the half but Lloyd’s interception stopped them at the 43, and after another change of possession the Indians were able to make it from their own 26 to the KM 46 but Micah Ward’s interception ended their hopes on the last play of the first half.
With the running clock rule in effect, the Indians ate up most of the third quarter on a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a quarterback Peyton Young’s 11 yard TD run with 35 seconds on the clock.  Facing fourth and seven at the KM 22, the Indians first went for a field goal, which was good, but KM was penalized on the play for roughing the kicker which set up Young’s TD.
Josiah Hill gained 37 yards on five carries and Ward 22 on four totes to take the game clock down to 5:11 and guys like Dariyon Black, Jason Melton and Jakarri Roberts held St. Stephens at bay the rest of the night.
Because of the outstanding defensive and special team efforts, the Mountaineers had very few running plays by the first unit. Jeffries had just two carries for 89 yards and Holland two for 22. Lloyd had one reception for 19 yards, Brown one for 16, Zay Smith one for 14 and Sanders one for 13.

One of Kings Mountain High’s all-time great athletes was in the stands and pulling for St. Stephens in the Indians’ opening round 3A playoff game Friday against the Mountaineers at John Gamble Stadium.
Chris Johnson, who was assistant principal at St. Stephens for many years before being recently moved to the Alternative School as its principal, was one of the Mountaineer greats in both football and baseball during his youth. He played football under Coach Bob Jones and baseball for Coach Barry Gibson. He was very versatile in football playing tailback,  defensive  back,  wide receiver, corner and safety and returning kickoffs and punts. He made trips to Kings Mountain and to their opponent’s field every Friday night when his son Xavier was playing for Coach Greg Lloyd’s Mountaineers in mid-teens. Xavier is now living in Raleigh.
Before going into administration, Johnson taught and coached some in Bessemer City and schools in Catawba County.
A member of the Kings Mountain Sports Hall of Fame, Johnson was three-time All-SAC8 and Honorable Mention All-American during a great four-year career at Gardner-Webb. He intercepted 25 passes that’s still a school record. He is the only football player ever to be named Kings Mountain’s most valuable player two years straight.
“Sports has been good to me,” Johnson said prior to Friday’s playoff game. “It made me what I am today. What lessons you learn as an athlete come back to you. You go through rigors and it makes you a better person.”
He recalled that the 1975 and ’76 KMHS baseball teams won the conference championship. He played in the outfield and was one of the team’s best all-around players standing out in the field, at bat and on the base paths.
“I had a lot of good teammates,” he noted. “The 1975 team went to the state tournament. That’s the year we had David Lancaster, Tony Payne and a lot of other good players. We went deep in the third round. We beat Shelby twice during the regular season and then lost to them in the playoffs.”
He also played on some good basketball teams under Coach Allen Dixon.
“I had good teammates in basketball, too,” he noted. “People like Jim Thompson, Tommy Manning, Charles Bell and Butch Blalock. They were really good athletes.
“My son Xavier played football for Greg Lloyd at Kings Mountain,” he noted. “I saw a lot of their games then. 2014 was his senior year and we went up to West Henderson in the playoffs and almost froze to death. I think that’s the coldest I’ve ever been.
“Just to be on the ball field is great,” he said. “That’s where my heart was. Sports is still a family thing for me. I grew up without a dad and people in sports really embraced me. It’s always been a tradition for me.”
Friday was the first time Johnson has been back to Gamble Stadium since the new Brinkley Field was built and artificial turf put down on the playing field.
“This is very nice,” he said.