The Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference recently announced its all-conference boys soccer team, and following another strong season, Patton placed five members on the squad.
Highlighting the Panthers All-MF7 list was senior goalkeeper Isai Jimenez, who was named conference defensive player of the year. Jimenez becomes the seventh Burke County athlete or coach to win a league superlative honor this fall season.
Jimenez, who repeats as an All-MF7 selection and was also named all-state last fall, recorded shutouts in eight of Patton’s 12 conference matches as the Panthers finished second place in the league and had a back-to-back title within their reach until the final day of the regular season.
Jimenez helped lead a PHS defense that allowed zero goals or one goal on 21 occasions this fall as the team made its second-longest postseason run all-time, reaching the fourth round of the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs.
Also earning all-conference honors for the Panthers were Josue Yax, Jacob Batz, Noah Krogel, and Gabino Vasquez.
League champion Brevard’s Rion Coadwell was named offensive player of the year, and Brevard’s Randy Baron was coach of the year.
NOTE: The remainder of the Burke County high school all-conference fall sports lists will be announced as they are released by conferences and/or member schools.
EB girls start season 3rd in area code
The East Burke girls were nearly the best 2A team in the state a season ago and welcome back their top two players. But spanning all classifications entering this season, the Lady Cavaliers only project as the 828 area code’s third-best team, at least according to HighSchoolOT.com.
HSOT recently released its first set of 2024-25 hoops statewide and area code rankings, and coming off a 31-1 season, EB is No. 3 in the area code, behind defending 1A state champion Cherokee as well as 3A program A.C. Reynolds.
Also, of note in local conferences, Watauga is No. 4, Alexander Central is No. 6, Rosman is No. 7, Hibriten is No. 9, Maiden is No. 12, East Rutherford is No. 13, and Mountain Heritage opens at No. 14. McDowell, who EB figures to see in Marion at the MHS Christmas Tournament, is fifth.
In the boys poll, Patton is ranked eighth in the 828 as it comes off a program-record 23-win season. West Caldwell, who edged Patton in Gamewell in both teams’ opener, is No. 5, while Watauga is sixth, South Caldwell eighth, Newton-Conover 11th, Hendersonville 12th, Maiden 13th, and Bandys 15th.
Bigfoot climbers compete again
The Morganton-based Bigfoot Climbing Gym youth team participated in its third USA Climbing qualifying event on Nov. 9 in Winston-Salem.
Bigfoot Gym’s Liam Stafford won the male under-20 age group, while Brooks Clark finished a strong second in the male under-13 division, Julian Huber came in seventh in the female under-15 division, and Knolland Barber placed 12th in the male under-13 division.
The Bigfoot climbers host their season’s final qualifying event on Dec. 7. The local event is expected to draw about 500 people over competition sessions starting at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., said gym owner Julie Cross, and there will also be a collegiate competition that day at 6 p.m. Both events are open to the public.
After the qualifying events, the top 26 individual athletes from the local region are eligible to climb in the regional competition, which will be held in January 2025.
The following day (Dec. 8), folks from around the community are invited to try their hand at the same climbing setup at the Christmas Crusher from 1-5 p.m. For more information on the team or the upcoming event, visit bigfootclimbinggym.com.
Silver Creek hosts two tournaments
Silver Creek Golf Club hosted its annual Tough Day “Superintendents Revenge” tournament on Nov. 16, with the team of Noah Fulbright, Trey Broadwell, Dennis Capatore, and Scott Essary winning first place with a score of 8-under par 64.
No team played bogey-free golf in tucked-pin setup, with the team of Jason Cockran, Bryan Bowman, Scott Holland, and Blake Silver taking second place at 6-under and two teams tying for third place at 5-under.
Byron Bailey claimed two of the four closest-to-the-pin contests and two of five skins on the day.
Silver Creek also recently announced details for its Rudolph from the Reds tournament on Dec. 10. Registration cost is $85 for non-members or $40 plus cart fee for members, and $20 from each entry goes directly to Burke United Christian Ministries.
All members of each four-person scramble team will play from the red tees on each hole, though women can play special gold tees set up in front of the reds for the event. There will be prizes for closest-to-the-pin on all par 3s and for longest drive on No. 18, and the top three teams will receive prizes. To register, call the pro shop at 828-584-6911.
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