NEWTON GROVE -- Rosewood earned its first win of the season with a 45-34 decision over Hobbton on Wednesday night.

Angelica Knight led the Eagles' attack with 11 points. Shantal Johnson added nine, while Paige Babb chipped in seven.

Rosewood (1-2 overall) will entertain Rocky Mount Prep on Friday.

Leonard honored

DUDLEY -- Lynnesha Leonard scored all 14 of her points in the third quarter, but it wasn't enough to help Southern Wayne in a 67-54, non-conference loss to North Lenoir.

Leonard, a senior, was honored for scoring her 1,000th point during a game last week against Wilmington New Hanover.

The Hawks jumped out to a 37-20 advantage at the half behind some hot shooting from Kristen Davenport. The senior buried three 3-pointers in the second quarter as part of game-high 21 points.

Southern Wayne (1-5 overall) battled back in the third quarter with a high-octane trapping defense and Leonard's hot hand. The Saints carried a 45-44 lead in the final period but Leonard, who was plagued by foul trouble throughout the game, watched from the sidelines North Lenoir (3-0) reclaimed the lead and pulled away.

Danielle Carlton added 11 points for the Saints. Kayla Powell chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.

Enjoli Mason scored 17 points for North Lenoir, while teammate Jordan Hudson added 12 markers.

Falcons falter

PIKEVILLE -- The effort was much improved, but Charles B. Aycock couldn't avoid an offensive drought in the second and third quarters.

The Golden Falcons connected on just three field goals in 14-plus minutes and dropped a 51-41, non-conference decision to South Johnston on Wednesday evening.

"We did a much better job running our offense and getting good shots," said Aycock coach Carrie Reynell. "We still missed some easy shots here and there, but we were more offensive-minded in this game than we have been (the past five)."

Courtney Sheeks paced Aycock with a double-double -- 16 points, 10 rebounds. Frontcourt mate Camille Williams added eight points and 12 rebounds.

"We told them we have to control the boards if we want to control this game," said Reynell of Sheeks and Williams. "They did a great job of stepping up and pulling down those boards."

The teams battled to ties at 16-16, 18-18 and 20-20 before Aycock entered its unwelcomed drought. The Trojans (3-3 overall) scored 16 of the next 22 points and never lost the advantage the rest of the game.

The Golden Falcons (0-6) entertain Goldsboro on Friday.

Rams ride high

SNOW HILL -- Greene Central picked up its second win of the season with a 41-38 triumph over Wilson Fike on Wednesday night.

Dominique Graham paced the Rams with 18 points. Shanice Pettiway added 14 points in the win. KeKe Pettiway locked down the Greene Central defensive end with nine blocked shots.

The Rams (2-3 overall) will entertain Ayden-Grifton on Saturday.

Boys' basketball

Eagles take flight

NEWTON GROVE -- Rosewood got 27 points from Cody Harris and pushed past Hobbton 65-61 in overtime on Wednesday.

The Eagles claimed their second consecutive win.

"It was a good team win tonight," said Rosewood head coach Daniel Mitchell. "Another learning experience for our young guys, and they pulled together and got the job done."

Jacquez Raynor was the only other Eagle in double figures with 13 points.

Rosewood (2-1 overall) will take on Rocky Mount Prep on Friday at "The Nest."

Dawgs downed

ROCKY MOUNT -- Princeton had a last-second chance to pull out a victory, but Benton Myers' three-point shot rimmed out and the Dawgs were left with a 78-75 double overtime defeat at the hands of Rocky Mount Prep.

Myers' and David Gurganus each contributed 17 points to lead the Dawgs. Matt Williams grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

Princeton (2-3 overall) will host Midway on Friday night.

Wrestling

Gators grapple

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek took advantage of several holes in the East Duplin lineup and prevailed 48-30 on the mat on Wednesday night in "The Swamp."

Dan Richter earned a pin for the Gators. Ryan McCabe, Jason Ross, and William McGwynn all earned decisions.

The Gators travel to Princeton today.

JV sports

* Girls' basketball: Southern Wayne 43, North Lenoir 8-- Andrel Morris led the Saints with ten points. Deonna Armwood delivered nine markers.

* Girls' basketball: South Johnston 50, C.B. Aycock 24 -- Kayla Williams paced the Golden Falcons (1-2 overall) with six points. Natani Martin added five markers. South Johnston was led by Whitney Williams' 20-point effort.

* Boys' basketball: C.B. Aycock 39, South Johnston 23 -- Shepard Whitfield pumped in a double-double -- 14 points, 10 rebounds in the Golden Falcons' victory. Tony Gardner contributed eight points. C.B. Aycock (2-3 overall) welcomes Goldsboro on Friday.

The Saints scored the knockout in overtime.

Southern Wayne deposited nine points in the extra session and exited with a 78-73, non-conference victory.

"It's always good to win in your home gym, and tonight was an emotional victory for us," said Saints head coach Russell Stephens. "Both teams played with so much intensity. It was really great."

Trailing 73-72 with one minute to play in overtime, the Saints employed the perfect mixture of power and finesse. Gary Woodard found Desmond Raiford on the block, who made his signature bull-rush move toward the basket.

Stopping short, Raiford kicked the ball out to Ramsey Turner who buried a three-point basket and ignited the Saints crowd.

"Ramsey is our best outside shooter and that's why he is in the game ... to stretch the defense," said Stephens. "Desmond did a good job of finding him and Ramsey didn't hesitate to put it up."

After a failed Hawk possession, the Saints raced the ball up the floor. Justin Artis slipped into some vacant space under the hoop and dropped in an insurance layup with just 17 seconds to play.

After another North Lenoir miss, Raiford sealed the outcome with a free throw. He finished with a double-double -- 22 points, 14 rebounds.

"Desmond is a guy, when he comes in, we know what we want to do offensively," said Stephens. "We want to pound the ball inside and get him touches around the basket."

North Lenoir got off to a fast start in the first quarter behind the hot hand of Chris McPhail. The fiery guard sank two 3-pointers and gave the Hawks a 17-11 advantage after eight minutes.

Southern Wayne turned the momentum around in the second period as foul trouble and choppy play dictated the game's tempo. The Saints led 35-31 at the intermission.

"We knew that if we wanted to win the game, we would have to get some stops," said Stephens. "In the second quarter I thought we did a good job of that."

The teams played a back-and-forth second half.

Southern Wayne extended its lead to as many as 10 in the third quarter, but North Lenoir would not be put away early.

McPhail kept the Hawks within striking distance with a four-point play, a pair of 3-pointers and a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line in the second half. As a team, the Hawks scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.

The Saints (3-3 overall) showcased a balanced attack. Turner and Dwight Smith each finished with 11 points. Justin Artis chipped in seven points.

North Lenoir (2-1) was led by McPhail's game-high 27 points. Joe Whitfield added 13, while Maurice Morgan posted nine points.

North Lenoir 17 14 14 24 4 -- 73

So. Wayne 11 24 17 18 9 -- 78

NORTH LENOIR (2-1)

Chris McPhail 2 5 8-8 27, Joe Whitfield 4 1 2-4 13, Da'rico Jones 2 0 1-2 5, Rasheed Outlaw 1 0 0-0 2, Maurice Morgan 4 0 1-2 9, D.J. Artis 2 0 0-0 4, Juel Bizzell 2 0 4-4 8, Marquez Powell 1 0 3-4 5. TOTALS -- 18 6 19-24 73.

SOUTHERN WAYNE (3-3)

Justin Artis 3 0 1-2 7, James Jones 1 0 0-0 2, Gary Woodard 3 0 0-0 6, Javaris McMillan 1 0 1-2 3, Rashard Hill 2 0 0-0 4, Khalil Artis 3 0 0-0 6, Dwight Smith 2 2 1-3 11, Brandon Anderson 3 0 0-0 6, Ramsey Turner 2 2 1-2 11, Desmond Raiford 10 0 2-3 22. TOTALS -- 30 4 6-12 78.

South Johnston 7 14 17 10 -- 48

C.B. Aycock 14 19 13 11 -- 57

SOUTH JOHNSTON (1-5)

Dolton Bledsoe 4 2 3-4 17, Garrett Jackson 0 3 6-8 15, Dimitrius Mannie 0 0 1-2 1, Eric Radford 0 0 0-0 0, Josh Barbour 0 0 0-0 0, Ryan Barefoot 0 0 5-6 5, Tanner Adams 0 0 3-4 3, Nick Banks 0 0 0-0 0, Lee Theogene 3 0 1-3 7. TOTALS -- 7 5 19-27 48.

C.B. AYCOCK (4-2)

Austin Terrell 0 0 0-0 0, Isaac Ryals 2 0 7-11 11, Molanza Hayes 2 1 0-0 7, Dominique Young 0 0 0-0 0, Devon Newsome 0 0 0-0 0, Tucker Pearson 0 0 0-0 0, Matt Woodard 0 1 6-6 9, Jonathan Williams 4 0 7-8 15, Khendra Reid 4 0 4-9 12, Kyle LaFlamme 1 0 0-0 2, Dakota Wilcox 0 0 1-2 1. TOTALS -- 13 2 25-36 57.

GIRLS

North Lenoir 15 17 12 23 -- 67

Southern Wayne 10 10 25 9 -- 54

NORTH LENOIR (3-0)

Jordan Hudson 3 2 0-2 12, Enjoli Mason 4 1 6-10 17, Marisa Lanier 3 0 2-4 8, Jacquella Ellison 3 0 1-4 7, Telisha Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Kristen Davenport 1 4 7-9 21. TOTALS -- 15 7 16-29 67.

SOUTHERN WAYNE (1-5)

Danielle Carlton 5 0 1-2 11, Sharnelle Garner 2 0 0-0 4, Kanesha Jones 2 0 0-0 4, Shanica Kelly 0 0 1-3 1, Octavia Lee 1 0 1-2 3, Lynnesha Leonard 3 2 2-3 14, Kayla Powell 4 0 1-2 9, Paige Robinson 0 0 2-4 2, Clarice Sherard 2 0 0-0 4, Charity Wright 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 20 2 8-16 54.

South Johnston 10 14 12 15 -- 51

C.B. Aycock 13 7 8 13 -- 41

SOUTH JOHNSTON (3-3)

Jessica Jackson 0 2 2-3 6, Tanisa Eason 2 1 1-2 8, Toska Cooper 2 0 2-2 6, Courtney Woods 2 4 0-0 16, Annah Lee 0 0 0-0 0, Melissa Snead 5 0 2-5 12, Cathryn Medlin 0 0 1-2 1, Annah Pierce 0 0 0-0 0. TOTALS -- 11 7 8-14 51.

C.B. AYCOCK (0-6)

Courtnei Gilbert 2 1 3-3 10, Paige Garrett 1 0 0-0 2, Stephanie Orosco 1 2-2 4, Tori Benton 0 0 0-0 0, Courtney Sheeks 5 0 6-8 16, Ivy Hartzell 0 0 1-2 1, Camille Williams 3 0 2-2 8. TOTALS -- 12 1 14-17 41.

The Golden Falcons bucked the trend Wednesday evening.

Senior Jonathan Williams nearly recorded a double-double, 15 points and nine rebounds, as Aycock turned back future conference opponent South Johnston 57-48.

"This is a game two years ago and last year that we would have lost because it got sloppy," said C.B. Aycock head coach David West. "Tonight it got sloppy, but we were able to keep our composure enough to pull it out. We got a lead and we hung on.

"(It was) a mark of maturity. That's what we'll call it."

C.B. Aycock (4-2 overall) surpassed last season's win total (3) and swept the regular-season series against South Johnston, which lost its fifth consecutive game. The Trojans departed 1-5.

The teams toiled through a foul fest that turned ugly in the second half -- particularly the third quarter, which took 38 minutes to play. The teams combined for 18 fouls and the Golden Falcons reached the double bonus with less than two minutes to go.

The Trojans were in the 1-and-1.

Aycock shot 25 of 36 at the free throw line for the night, while South Johnston converted 19 of 27 attempts. The teams combined for 55 fouls, which included an intentional foul and technical foul.

"I'm glad they weren't grading us on style (points)," said West. "I'm not making excuses, but a fact is a fact last night's game (vs. North Lenoir) took a lot out of us. Our legs were tired when you go back-to-back games and that happened last week."

Foul trouble also plagued the Golden Falcons.

Senior Khendra Reid drew two first-quarter fouls and played sparingly in the second period. Williams, his frontcourt mate, picked up the slack and knocked down 13 second-quarter points to go along with six rebounds.

"Jon is going to do that kind of stuff and lately we've been having to pick each other up in the post," said West. "Because we haven't had a game yet that we've had Jon and Khendra in foul trouble, but Jon stayed out of foul trouble tonight.

"I hope he sees now how much more successful the team is when he's out of foul trouble."

The Golden Falcons owned a double-digit lead in the third quarter, but that disappeared on Garrett Jackson's 3-pointer as time ticked away. The Trojans trailed 46-38 after three periods and pulled within 52-46 in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter.

As tempers flared and the action heated up, South Johnston drew a technical foul. Aycock drained two free throws and held on for the nine-point win.

Reid complemented Williams with a 12-point effort. Isaac Ryals just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Matt Woodard supplied nine points off the bench, including a 6-for-6 performance at the free throw line.

And they trusted Bill Edmundson's judgment.

"(We hoped) to offset the forfeits at 119 and 125 (pounds)," said Edmundson. "We stressed with the wrestlers to trust the coaching decisions and trust each other to get the job done."

The Eagles certainly proved their unselfishness.

While the 931/2-pound Lane suffered a loss at 112 pounds, Behrend came through with a 31-second fall over Southern Wayne's Nick Evans at the 119 slot. Behrend's first-period victory fueled a match-clinching 24-6 run as the Eagles stopped the Saints 52-30.

"Zach just missed the 103 weight class and wrestled a great match at 119," said Edmundson. "It's always good to start out your dual season with a win. Southern Wayne is a formidable opponent."

The Saints suffered their first loss in three outings this season.

"We're young and we made a lot of young mistakes, but overall I'm happy with the effort," said Southern Wayne head coach Jonathan Jones. "We've got a lot of things we need to work on ... develop in practice. They took it to us when they were on top and we were on bottom.

"We were doing the right things, but doing them slow while they were doing them faster."

Rosewood earned the initial takedown in eight of 11 contested matches and recorded seven pins. Dillion Guss (140 pounds) and Matt Coley (135) pinned their respective opponents in 37 and 40 seconds, respectively. Andrew Sass (171) needed just 43 ticks of the clock to pin the Saints' Dakota Toms.

Another weight class, according to Edmundson, proved crucial. Jamie Wooten's forfeit at 189 helped open the door for 215-pounder Jon Rudolph, who grabbed a second-period fall over the Saints' Derek Whitman.

Senior Joshua Holmes, who remained unbeaten this season, needed three periods to claim a 23-10 major decision over Southern Wayne standout Dustin Richards at 145 pounds.

"He made some good coaching moves and I didn't have a whole lot of options," said Jones. "We did the best we could."

The Saints collected falls from 152-pounder Ethan Brogden, 112-pounder Matt Sparks and heavyweight Greg Taylor. Taylor yielded more than 40 pounds to the Eagles' Paul Atkinson, but pulled off a 3-minute pin.

"Chops (Taylor) goes out there knowing he's a smaller guy and tries to wrestle smart, so he doesn't make a mistake and get under those (bigger) guys," said Jones. "He did that well today, made sure he didn't get under because Atkinson was bigger than him. He was careful, chose his shots ... wrestled smart."

Rosewood 52

Southern Wayne 30

145 -- Joshua Holmes (R) maj. dec. Dustin Richards, 23-12; 152 -- Ethan Brogden (SW) wbf Greg Cavenaugh, 2:50; 160 -- Jacob Roberts (R) wbf Minek Ford, 2:17; 171 -- Andrew Sass (R) pinned Dakota Toms, 0:43; 189 -- Jamie Wooten (R) by forfeit; 215 -- Jonathan Rudolph (R) wbf Derek Whitman, 2:56; Hwt -- Greg Taylor (SW) wbf Paul Atkinson, 3:00; 103 -- Ryan Gross (SW) by forfeit; 112 -- Matt Sparks (SW) wbf Chris Lane, 3:52; 119 -- Zach Behrend (R) wbf Nick Evans, 0:31; 125 -- Miles Bradshaw (SW) by forfeit; 130 -- Scott Pate (R) wbf Jacob Richards, 1:46; 135 -- Matt Coley (R) wbf Keith Jones, 0:40; 140 -- Dillion Guss (R) wbf Duron Smith, 0:37.

Records: Rosewood 1-0, Southern Wayne 2-1

Next match: Saturday, Rosewood at Pierce-Davis Memorial; Dec. 9, Eastern Wayne at Southern Wayne

Goldsboro got a game-high 22 points from Millicent Kornegay and Ki'Ana Williams added 14 in a 58-47 win at Eastern Wayne on Tuesday evening.

The Warriors trailed by double digits most of the second half before trimming the deficit to 53-45 on Tiarra McIntyre's 3-pointer with just over a minute to play.

However, Eastern Wayne (1-2 overall) struggled to knock down open looks and slow down Kornegay in the interior.

"We had some good looks at 3-pointers tonight," said Warriors head coach Brent Holland. "We just talked about accountability. The girls took accountability and said the shots were there, they just didn't make them."

Danielle Daniel led Eastern Wayne with 14 points and Tiarra McIntyre added 10.

The Cougars (3-3) host Southern Nash on Thursday and the Warriors travel to South Central today.

Eagles rally

DURHAM -- Wayne Christian overcame a 10 point halftime deficit and picked up a 39-36 win at Trinity of Durham on Tuesday evening.

Hanna Kaler turned in 16 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Carly Hightower contributed 11 points and two steals. Jennifer Price added eight points, seven rebounds and two steals.

The Eagles (4-2 overall, 2-1 CCC) visit Northwood Temple on Monday.

RHS stumbles

Midway dealt Rosewood a 38-27 non-conference defeat on Tuesday night.

Paige Babb scored nine points for the Eagles. Christina Bruton and Shantal Johnson each had seven.

Rosewood (0-2 overall) travels to Hobbton today.

NL pounds CBA

LaGRANGE -- North Lenoir routed Charles B. Aycock 52-30 in non-conference play on Tuesday night.

Kristen Davenport scored a game-high 17 points for the Hawks and Marissa Lanier contributed 13 points. Jordan Hudson and Enjoli Mason each had 10.

Courtney Sheeks finished with 14 points for the Golden Falcons, while teammate Ivy Hartzell chipped in 10.

"The girls are playing hard right now but we're not playing very smart," said C.B. Aycock head coach Carrie Reynell. "We need to continue on improving our mentality throughout an entire game."

The Golden Falcons (0-5 overall) host South Johnston today and Goldsboro on Friday.

Gators go down

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek was outscored 23-4 in the first quarter before eventually falling 64-36 to Union on Monday night.

Amy Parker paced the Gators offense with 14 points. Norma Valentin led Spring Creek with 10 rebounds to go along with her six points.

The Gators return to action Friday at South Lenoir.

Boys' basketball

RW edges Midway

Jacquez Raynor scored a team-high 16 points and Rosewood picked up its first win of the season in thrilling fashion by edging visiting Midway 62-61 on Tuesday evening.

Trevor Cox had 15 for the Eagles (1-1 overall) and James Harris supplied 13.

Rosewood travels to Hobbton today.

PHS cruises

PRINCETON -- Behind 37 points and seven assists from David Gurganus Princeton cruised to an 85-63 home win over the Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf on Tuesday night.

Andre Nixon scored 10 points for the Bulldogs (2-2) and pulled down 12 rebounds. Patrick Jacobs chipped in eight points, Dylan Myers had seven, Dillon Daughtry added six and T.J. Wilson finished with five.

Princeton is the guest of Rocky Mount Prep today.

Hawks claw Falcons

LaGRANGE -- North Lenoir earned an 80-69 non-conference victory over visiting Charles B. Aycock on Tuesday night.

Chris McPhail led the Hawks with 25 points.

Isaac Ryals scored a team-high 21 points for the Golden Falcons (3-2) and Molonza Hayes supplied 13. Khendra Reid added 10 points.

C.B. Aycock plays host to South Johnston tonight.

WCS struggles on road

DURHAM -- Wayne Christian struggled to overcome a slow offensive start and fell 50-30 at Trinity of Durham on Tuesday evening.

Luke Howell paced the Eagles (1-4 overall, 0-2 CCC) with 16 points, seven steals and six rebounds. Kyle Harrell finished with nine points and seven boards.

Wayne Christian entertains Johnston Christian on Friday.

Rebels fall hard

CALYPSO -- Union rolled past North Duplin 76-35 on Tuesday night.

Quentin Graham scored 10 points for the Rebels and Blake King had seven.

Larry George led Union with 13 points.

North Dupln vistis Hobbton on Friday.

WCDS victorious

DURHAM -- Floronta Wynn poured in 25 points and Wayne Country Day eased past Cresset Christian Academy 77-57 on Tuesday night.

Tim Hobbs had 17 points and Reco McCarter supplied 16 points, 11 assists, four rebounds, four steals and three blocks.

The Chargers (7-3) face Charlotte Christian Academy on Friday and Cannon School on Saturday in the Mercedez Invitational at Forsyth Country Day School in Clemmons.

Wrestling

Falcons pin Dawgs

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock triumphed in four of nine contested matches in a 54-27, non-conference victory over Princeton on Tuesday evening.

The Golden Falcons (4-3 overall) received pins from Statton Paris (145 pounds), Caleb Scott (189), Justin Farrell (125) and Brandon Bailey (130). Teammates Thomas Podbesek, Brandon Thomas, Bryan Diorio, David Romo and Jerome Butts each drew a forfeit.

The Dawgs posted a 27-24 advantage in points accumulated from contested matches. Patrick Woodard (152), heavyweight Logan Rains and Matthew Evans (112) each recorded a pin. Zach Stevens (160) scored a technical fall and Justin Collier (135) claimed a major decision.

Princeton didn't grab any forfeit points.

C.B. Aycock returns to action Saturday in the annual Pierce-Davis Memorial Tournament at SouthWest Edgecombe. Opening-round matches are slated for a 9 a.m. start.

C.B. Aycock 54

Princeton 27

140 -- Thomas Podbesek (CBA) by forfeit; 145 -- Statton Paris (CBA) wbf Forrest Stewart, 0:46; 152 -- Patrick Woodard (P) wbf Aaron Pate, 1:46; 160 -- Zach Stevens (P) tech fall Nick Redding, no score; 171 -- Brandon Thomas (CBA) by forfeit; 189 -- Caleb Scott (CBA) wbf Willie Sheffield, 1:41; 215 -- Bryan Diorio (CBA) by forfeit; Hwt -- Logan Rains (P) wbf Tyler Sherbert, 0:34; 103 -- David Romo (CBA) by forfeit; 112 -- Matthew Evans (P) J.P. Combs, 3:34; 119 -- Jerome Butts (CBA) by forfeit; 125 -- Justin Farrell (CBA) wbf Drew Malarchick, 1:35; 130 -- Brandon Bailey (CBA) wbf Brandon Harper, 0:30; 135 -- Justin Collier (P) maj. dec. Zeb Darden, 15-7.

Records: C.B. Aycock 4-3

JV sports

* Boys' basketball: Wayne Christian 71, Trinity of Durham 63 -- Chase King finished with his third double-double of the season scoring 26 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Chase Darden and Chandler Harrell each added 10 points and seven rebounds. Anthony Mulligan had eight points and Jordan Crouthamel pitched in seven. Wayne Christian (3-3) hosts Johnston Christian on Friday.

* Boys' basketball: North Lenoir 51, C.B. Aycock 41 -- Sheperd Whitfield scored 12 points for the Golden Falcons (1-2) and Jalen Williams added nine points and seven rebounds. Aycock hosts South Johnston today.

* Boys' basketball: Greene Central 51, Washington 46 -- Radamez Green led the Rams with 18 points and Kelsey Dixon chipped in 17. Greene Central entertains Wilson Fike today.

* Boys' basketball: Wayne Country Day 85, Cresset Christian 33 -- Brandon McCarter finished with 15 points for the Chargers, while Hil Tanner and Josiah Davis each had 14. Oliver Remier chipped in 10 points. Wayne Country Day (4-0 overall) plays host to Terra Ceia on Dec. 12.

* Boys' basketball: Spring Creek 56, Union 40 -- Cody Boozer scored a team-high 10 points for the Gators and Devonte Harris and Ethan Potter each had nine on Monday night. Jasper Sutton provided six points.

* Girls basketball: C.B. Aycock 24, North Lenoir 18 -- Natana Martin scored eight points for the Golden Falcons (1-1) and Kayla Williams provided six.

That same phrase could very well apply to the next year or so of Roger Goodell's reign as NFL Commissioner.

After New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg with a handgun on the early hours of Saturday morning inside the Latin Quarter, a nightclub in Manhattan, Goodell now finds himself in a rather precarious position.

Burress is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon he did not have a license to carry. One count accuses him of possessing a loaded handgun with the intent to use it against another.

The other charge was that he possessed a loaded gun outside his home or place of business.

Burress is currently out on bail and scheduled to appear in court again on March 31. Upon conviction, both penalties call for a mandatory minimum sentence of 31/2 years in prison and a maximum of 15 years.

According to the NFL's personal conduct policy any player that is convicted of or admits to a criminal violation (including a plea to a lesser offense) will be subject to discipline as determined by the Commissioner. Such discipline may include a fine, suspension without pay and/or banishment from the League.

Goodell typically waits for the legal process to run its course before handing down his own disciplinary measures. Should Burress be convicted, Goodell would have an opportunity to give the Giants and the NFL a family-sized bottle of pain killers to relieve what's been a rapidly growing headache in the form of Burress.

Since signing with the Giants from Pittsburgh in 2005, Burress has seemingly been a walking train wreck fueled by self-centeredness.

In May of 2005, a warrant for Burress was issued after he failed to pay $90,000 in back taxes in Moon Township, Pa., near Pittsburgh. His lawyer calls it "a misunderstanding."

Police have been called to Burress' home twice since June for domestic disturbances and he's been suspended, benched or fined five different times since joining the Giants for being late to or missing team meetings or treatment for injuries.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback and kick returner Adam "Pacman" Jones has been arrested six times and been involved in 13 incidents involving police since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2005. Despite his preference for jumpsuits over jerseys and prison cells over locker rooms, Jones was reinstated two weeks ago for the second time this season and is eligible to play this Sunday.

Jones was suspended for six games on Oct. 14 after being involved in an alcohol-related scuffle with one of his own body guards at a party at a Dallas hotel. The former West Virginia University star was suspended for the entire 2007 season for his accumulation of arrests and legal issues. Goodell fumbled away a golden opportunity to send a message to the rest of the NFL and its own image problems by pulling the plug on Pacman when he had the chance.

Michael Vick is scheduled to be released from prison in July of next year on federal dogfighting charges and has already expressed interest in returning to the league. Goodell will once again be faced with the choice of protecting the image of the league or folding under the pressure of over-paid lawyers and player reps.

Claude Adrien Helvetius once said "Discipline is simply the art of making the soldiers fear their officers more than the enemy."

It's time for Roger Goodell to make his soldiers fall in line.

MOUNT OLIVE -- Jasmine Whitby led five players in double figures with a season-high 24 points, eight rebounds and five steals as Mount Olive claimed a 99-82 victory over Conference Carolinas rival Converse (S.C.) College on Tuesday evening.

Sydney Brown's two free throws pushed the game into the extra four-minute session, but Converse couldn't keep the momentum. Alisa Jones' layup and Tomeka Prichard's 3-pointer ignited a decisive 18-1 run and propeled the Trojans their fourth win without a loss this season.

Prichard finished with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and three steals. Jones added seven points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and four assists.

Shequanta McGee handed out a career-best 10 assists and picked the Valkyries for three steals.

Converse (0-2 CC) remained winless in six outings this season.

Mount Olive (2-0 CC) takes a few days off for exams and returns to action Dec. 13 at St. Augustine's. Tip-off is 2 p.m.

Goldsboro 13 4 18 22 -- 57

Eastern Wayne 14 11 11 13 -- 49

GOLDSBORO (3-3)

Donald Lewis 1 0 0-0 2, Michael Langston 0 1 1-2 4, Tyrelle Jackson 3 0 6-11 12, Demetrio Irby 5 2 9-12 25, Rasean Brewington 3 0 4-8 10, James Williams 2 0 0-0 4. TOTALS -- 14 3 20-33 57.

EASTERN WAYNE (0-3)

Corey Bell 1 0 1-3 3, Lamar Best 0 0 2-2 2, Will White 2 0 0-1 4, Jeniri Cyrus 5 1 3-6 16, Edward Copeland 1 1 0-0 5, Dominique Sadler 1 0 0-0 2, Stacey Edwards 1 0 2-2 4, Lavonta McGiver 1 0 0-1 2, Cody Kirkham 1 1 2-2 7, Marvin Bowman 2 0 0-0 4. TOTALS -- 15 3 10-17 49.

Girls game

Goldsboro 16 13 13 16 -- 58

Eastern Wayne 13 11 9 14 -- 47

GOLDSBORO (3-3)

Ki'Ana Williams 3 2 2-2 14, Victoria Williams 2 0 0-0 4, Zeara McDuffie 2 1 1-6 8, Akeyanna Whitlor 3 2-2 8, Millicent Kornegay 9 0 4-7 22, Tiffany Pearsall 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 20 3 9-17 58.

EASTERN WAYNE (1-2)

Lindsay Frederick 1 3-6 5, Tiarra McIntyre 0 3 1-2 10, Jazmine Middleton 5 0 1-1 11, Tia Jones 1 0 3-6 5, Danielle Daniel 3 2 2-3 14, Shantae' Boseman 1 0 0-0 2. TOTALS -- 11 5 10-18 47.

Wayne Christian earned its first Class 1-A Carolina Christian Conference victory of the season with a 51-37 triumph over Crossroads Christian on Monday night.

Hanna Kaler led the Eagles with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Kayla Kennedy chipped in eight points and six boards. Jennifer Price pulled down nine rebounds.

Wayne Christian visits CCC member Trinity of Durham today.

Boys' basketball

Saints stumble

WILMINGTON -- Southern Wayne got off to a slow start in the second half and fell to New Hanover 71-57 on Monday night.

Dwight Smith paced Southern Wayne with 15 points. Javaris McMillan and Ramsey Turner each added six points respectively.

The Saints (2-3 overall) will host North Lenoir on Wednesday.

Eagles stopped

Crossroads Christian jumped in front early and never looked back as they bested Wayne Christian 83-52 on Monday night.

Colton Woods paced the Eagle effort with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Luke Howell added nine points and four steals.

Wayne Christian (1-4 overall, 0-2 CCC) travels to Trinity of Durham tonight

JV sports

* Girls' basketball: Crossroads Christian 33, Wayne Christian 32 -- Brooke Barfield scored 14 points but it was not enough as the Eagles dropped a heartbreaker. Haley Greenwood added 10 points for Wayne Christian.

The talented hurler has signed a national letter of intent with Mount Olive College.

"I just sat down and weighed the pro's and con's of playing at Mount Olive," said Darden. "I finally realized that I had to make the decision that was best for me, and Mount Olive felt like the right way to go."

Darden noted that her decision was about more than softball.

"I really like the small school atmosphere and the fact it's pretty close to home," she said. "The coaching staff there has been great and I am looking forward to getting started."

The 2008 News-Argus pitcher of the year, Darden racked up an astounding 251 strikeouts in 164 innings last season. She also maintained a miniscule 1.02 earned run average.

Thanks in part to Darden's domination, Southern Wayne finished with a 21-6 record and earned a share of the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season title.

Darden claimed two wins in the NCSSA playoffs before the Saints eventually bowed out againt South Central in the third round.

Despite all of that success, the high school senior is continually looking for ways to improve her game.

"It will be great to have Lauren around this year, with no pressure," said second-year Saints head coach Michael Wiggs. "Coach (Jaime) Kylis-Higginbotham called and sent me a program that she uses with her pitchers at the college level, so I am going to help Lauren get started on that before the season."

For Wiggs, a former Mount Olive baseball standout, Darden is the second player to sign with the Trojans from the Saints' program in the past six months. Current MOC freshman infielder Alyssa Bradshaw graduated from Southern Wayne a year ago.

"I don't really think I had much influence on Lauren's decision, but I do think that Mount Olive is a good fit for her," said Wiggs. "The coaching staff there does a great job with pitchers and they are continuing to improve every year within their conference."

Darden admitted that she took into account the familiarity she has with some of the current Trojans when making her college choice.

"It's nice to go somewhere with people that you know," she said. "That familiarity will make the transition from high school to college much easier."

Mount Olive enjoyed a 29-21 campaign last season. They finished in third place in the regular season standings and were the runner-up in the Conference Carolinas tournament.

Off the softball diamond, Darden plans on continuing her education in either forensic science or psychology.

SANFORD -- Senior wrestler Joshua Holmes joined the Century Club at Rosewood High School and emerged the 145-pound champion during the Cavalier Invitational contested Saturday at Southern Lee.

Holmes collected a 13-5 major decision over Fuquay-Varina's Jason Knoernschild in the finals, and Rosewood took 10th overall in the 15-team event.

"(Joshua) is very business-like in his preparation and execution of his matches," said Rosewood coach Bill Edmundson. "He has been working on his ground attack which will make him a very competitive and complete wrestler."

It was Holmes' second individual title of the season.

Fellow Eagles Scott Pate placed fifth at 130 and 135 pounds, respectively. Dillion Guss claimed eighth at 140 pounds, while 215-pounder Thomas Sturgeon ended up eighth, also.

"Matt and Dillion each have come so far for first-year wrestlers," said Edmundson. "It's unbelievable how quickly they are learning this sport, and we're elated that these newcomers are contributing to the team so early in the year.

"This tournament gave us the opportunity to travel West a little to see teams we normally don't see or compete against until state tournament time."

Rosewood opens its dual-team season Tuesday at county rival Southern Wayne. The match begins at 7 p.m.

Boys' basketball

Chargers finish 0-2

RALEIGH -- Wayne Country Day posted an 0-2 record in the annual Word of God Thanksgiving Invitational.

No. 3-ranked United Faith Christian dealt the Chargers a 71-67 loss on Saturday. Junior Ian Miller, who has committed to Florida State, paced UFC with a team-high 23 points.

Reco McCarter led Wayne Country Day with 25 points and eight rebounds. Josh Gregory contributed 20 points. Tim Hobbs, who was sidelined with a minor injury, provided eight points and 11 rebounds.

The Chargers (6-3 overall) opened Invitational play with a 75-49 loss to Word of God, which is ranked No. 1 among the state's Class 1-A independent schools and No. 8 nationally. Junior C.J. Leslie, who has committed to N.C. State, knocked down 23 points. Unsigned senior John Walls, the No. 1-rated player in the nation, added 17 points.

McCarter and Floronta Wynn paced Wayne Country Day with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Chargers visit Cresset Christian on Tuesday.

Goldsboro used some late defensive heroics to defeat Wilmington Laney 75-68 in the boys' championship game of the annual Cougar Tip-off Classic.

Michael Langston, returning from an injury, and former football player Demetrio Irby provided the spark that the Cougars needed.

"Getting those guys back was big for us," said first-year head coach Chris Cherry said. "Mike and Demetrio really stepped up and played well."

Trailing 36-35 at the half, Cherry asked his team to take the next step on the defensive end.

The message paid off immediately.

Goldsboro did not shoot a high-percentage shot in the third quarter, but they did turn the halftime deficit into a 58-55 lead.

"I think that guys are starting to understand what we are trying to do on defense," said Cherry. "We have to play well on that end with some of our scorers still not ready to play."

Antwan Bosier carried the Laney offense early by scoring 10 of the team's first 22 points. Bosier also delivered the high-flying highlight of the evening -- a soaring tomahawk dunk off a steal at midcourt.

In the second quarter, both teams' hot shooting turned cold as fouls became an issue for both coaches. Stiff defense and choppy play led to the Buccaneers' 36-35 halftime advantage.

Irby scored 13 of his team-high 17 points after the intermission. Not to be outdone, Langston controlled the clock by handling the ball and chipped in four foul shots down the stretch. Rasean Brewington added 13 points and nine rebounds in the victory.

"We had a tough stretch in the first week, with some guys out and some really tough opponents," said Cherry. "To come out of here with two wins is really a good feeling."

The Cougars (2-3 overall) were once again without Keovanta McDuffie, who missed his third consecutive game with a banged up knee. Cherry expects to get additional players back from the football team for a much-needed practice session on Monday.

"We basically have to start over in practice and reteach some of the stuff we have already gone over," said Cherry. "We know that we have to keep working if we want to be at our best before January 9 when we open conference play."

Goldsboro's girls battled Wilmington Hoggard in the championship game of the annual Cougar Tip-off Classic, but unfortunately for the home crowd the Vikings came out firing and took home a 62-55 victory.

The Vikings seized an early 14-12 lead on the shoulders of hot-shooting Katy Norris. The senior forward buried two shots from beyond the arc and went a perfect 5 for 5 at the foul line in the first quarter.

Ki'Ana Williams answered in the second eight minutes when she too found her stroke from long range. Williams sank four 3-pointers in the quarter and finished the first half with 14 points.

Williams scored 23 points, but the short Goldsboro bench emphasized Hoggard's depth. Millicent Kornegay finished with 10 points and Akeyanna Whitler chipped in eight points.

After the Cougars (3-2 overall) captured a brief 42-40 lead in the third quarter, Norris and Danielle Bonigarno took over.

Norris continued to bomb away from 3-point range and finished with 23 points. Bonigarno used her well-honed ball handling skills to keep the Cougar press at bay as the final minutes ticked away.

The second time?

No such luck.

Tarboro turned a third-quarter blocked punt into a touchdown and rode the momentum to a 28-12 victory over Goldsboro at Viking Stadium on Friday evening. The top-seeded Vikings (13-1 overall) drew a date with second-seeded Jacksonville Northside for the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 2-A eastern regional championship next week.

As precious seconds ticked away in the Cougars' season, second-year head coach Eric Reid stole numerous glances at the scoreboard.

Would that errant punt be the turning point?

Indeed ... it would.

"That hurt us," said Reid.

Enrique Moses received a low snap and his punt deflected off the back of a teammate in the second quarter. Moses picked the ball up and rushed for a first down inside Tarboro territory.

The fifth-seeded Cougars (10-3-1) eventually turned the ball over on downs, but it was enough to keep the Vikings' vaunted running attack off the field for another couple of minutes.

"I thought they wanted it more than we did in the first half," said fifth-year Tarboro head coach Jeff Craddock. "They kind of smacked us right in the mouth early and they played a great first half."

Goldsboro seized the third lead change of the opening half on Andre Montgomery's 6-yard touchdown scamper with 65 seconds left before intermission. Montgomery, who rushed for 72 yards, broke the scoreless tie with a 5-yard TD run late in the first quarter.

Jamal Farmer's 20-yard run put Tarboro ahead 7-6 early in the second period.

"We just told the guys at halftime to relax," said Craddock. "They were a little embarrassed by their first-half performance. (Goldsboro) went right at us and it was nothing we hadn't seen before, but they were more physical than we were.

"We just had to step up the intensity and respond to the adversity. I thought our defense did a great job in the second half."

Tarboro definitely tightened its defense.

The Vikings forced two three-and-out series, did not allow a fourth-down conversion on three tries and yielded just 55 yards of total offense. The Cougars ran eight plays which resulted in negative yardage.

But the most costly play was the muffed punt.

Moses fielded yet another low snap and his teammate stepped right in front of him. The ball deflected off the player's back, senior defensive lineman Quintin Whitehead picked up the loose ball and rumbled 30 yards to the end zone.

"This time the ball went in our favor," said Craddock. "That was a huge play and put all the momentum on our guys. I don't know if they ever really recovered from that. It kind of deflated them."

Tarboro added two more touchdowns -- Damarius Harper's 3-yard plunge and Brandon Dozier's 20-yard romp. The Vikings extended their win streak to eight games and advanced to a regional final for the first time since 1998, when Craddock was an assistant to good friend Mike Schott.

Goldsboro was denied its first regional title-game appearance since 2002. The loss snapped the Cougars' six-game win streak, which ironically started after a lopsided defeat to the Vikings in the Eastern Plains Conference opener on Oct. 10.

"I'm proud of my boys for what they have accomplished this year," said Reid, who received a kiss on the cheek from his mom. "We've got more work to do. We'll come back in the spring and go hard (for next year)."