Piedmont Online 2–21–22
Welcome to Piedmont Online; a community e-paper and blog.
Hammett New AD At Oxford Prep
John Hammett has been named new Athletic Director at Oxford Prep School, replacing Leo Brunelli.
Hammett is a former administrator in Granville County Schools, serving as principal of Wilton School. He was a football coach at Rocky Mount, Webb, Granville Central and Northern Durham, also serving as athletic director at Granville Central.
He was a part of the very first class of North Carolina Teaching Fellows.
Hammett’s wife Ginny is also joining the OPS staff; she will be a teacher at the lower school. Their daughter Allie, currently a freshman at Northern Durham, will enroll at OPS in the Fall.
Photo courtesy of Oxford Prep School
This is Raleigh and Shelley, 5th year nesting pair of Bald Eagles at Shelley Lake in Raleigh. They have had 8 offspring of which 6 have survived. (2 eggs each year). TBD what this year will bring — it’s time for their eggs to hatch. Shelley is in the forefront In all birds of prey the females are larger and in bald eagles, the female has a prominent “eyebrow”. (story and photo by Elaine Perkinson)
Nice weather made for some great outdoor pictures last week, including this view of Dan River park in Virginia. An outdoor photo gallery is included in today’s edition of Piedmont Online. (photo by Ashley Ayers)
Busted!!
Piper Satterwhite was slipping over to the Vance Charter cheerleader section to visit her older sister Mia when she sensed someone may have been taking her picture. (photo by Gill Clopton)
Remember When
Workers put the finishing touches on the Moon-Glo Outdoor Theater. The theater opened on July 15, 1949 with a showing of “Ali Baba And Forty Thieves” . The theater still operates today as Raleigh Road Outdoor Theater. (photo courtesy of Vance County Historical Society)
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VCS Swimmers Compete In States
Three swimmers from Vance Charter School competed in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championships recently, each posting their personal best times.
Patrick Raynor finished 24th in the 200 freestyle and 19th in the 500 freestyle.
Bridger Stewardson finished 22nd in the 100 backstroke.
Kailen Craddock finished 16th in the 100 breast stroke.
The Knight swimmers are coached by Bridget Craddock.
For an appointment, contact:
Charles Powell at 252–767–2247
Ken Stegall 252–432–6476
Tommy Roberson 252–430–9045
Kadence Woodlief may not have been pleased with the outcome of the TNAC Championship game but she had to be pleased with the effort she and her teammates put forth in the game. Her father Tony certainly was. Kadence scored 23 points as Oxford Prep fought back from a 20–0 deficit to pull within 3 in the fourth quarter before finally falling to Vance Charter 58–47 in a hard fought game.
A spectacular career came to a sudden end when McKenna Snivley hit the floor with a torn ACL during a game against Wake Christian on Senior Night. She’ll have surgery in the off season and thankfully is expected to fully recover in time for her freshman season at Christopher Newport University.
I’d like to thank McKenna, her family, coach Avie Lester and North Raleigh Christian Academy for taking part in building Piedmont Online and welcoming me to their school.
I wish you the very best, McKenna!
NCHSAA State Playoffs, Boys:
1A; Vance Charter at Henderson Collegiate
1A; Voyager at Perquimans
2A; Webb at East Carteret
2A; Princeton at Louisburg
2A; Granville Central at Whiteville
2A Camden at South Granville
3A; Franklinton at Rocky Mount
3A; Walter Williams at Southern Durham
4A; Wakefield at Wake Forest
NCHSAA State Playoffs, Girls:
1A; Voyager at Chatham Central
1A; Warren County at Chatham Charter
1A; Washington County at Falls Lake
1A; Eno River at Vance Charter
1A; Oxford Prep at Northampton County
2A; Midway at Webb
2A (Va); Bluestone at Greensville
3A; Northern Nash at Southern Durham
3A; Franklinton at West Brunswick
4A; Wake Forest at Richmond
It’s usually the cheerleaders who jump around, but Oxford Prep fan Gabby Huff (above) couldn’t stay in her seat when her sister Sam and the rest of the Griffins brought a 20 point deficit down to 3 in the final quarter. Vance Charter cheerleader Helena Florez (below) took a quieter approach by letting her sign do the talking. In the end, it was Helena’s Knights who held on for the victory.
Privette Signs With WPU
Vance Charter’s Logan Privette has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her education and her softball career next year at William Peace University. Privette will be a key player in what is expected to be a very strong Vance Charter team this Spring.
Moore Signs
Falls Lake Academy basketball star Carmen Moore has signed to continue her education and her basketball career at Averette University in Danville. Moore has been on more winning teams than any player in Falls Lake history. The Firebirds enter this week’s state 1A tournament as a #3 seed. (Falls Lake Academy photo)
A Peak Down East
Pictured are Broad Creek Middle School’s basketball team from Carteret County. The team completed an undefeated season this past week.
A local connection is #4 Maddie Sutton (left, standing). She is the daughter of former Henderson resident Patrick Sutton and granddaughter of Piedmont Online contributor Whit Sutton.
Tournament Champions
Falls Lake Academy girls won the Super Six conference tournament. (photo courtesy of Falls Lake Academy)
Vance Charter won the TNAC Tournament Championship (photo by Gill Clopton)
Faces In The Crowd (photo gallery)
Colts Headed For The Final Four
John Henderson Jr lays in a first quarter bucket as Crossroads Christian School pulled away early to eliminate Ridgecroft from the state playoffs in convincing fashion 82–34.
The Colts, seeded #4 in the 1A, will travel next to top seeded Greenfield.
Ridgecroft entered the game with a 21–1 record but were never a match for the Colts. Crossroads is now 19–7 on the year.
Final Four Bound
The North Raleigh Christian Academy Knights are headed for the Final Four after defeating Charlotte Latin this weekend 52–39. Imani Lester scored 18 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 5 blocks to lead the Knights. Madison Mims added 13 for the winners. NRCA will travel to Charlotte on Friday to face Cannon. (courtesy of Chip Snivley)
Vance Charter girls, Henderson Collegiate boys win TNAC Titles
Moseley At States
Leah Moseley scored all 7 of Kerr-Vance Academy’s points at the NCISAA state swimming championships. Leah finished 10th in the girls 100 yard backstroke.
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The Northwood girls defeated Orange County 66–36 en route to a conference championship. The Chargers are now 24–1 and will be seeded second in the state playoffs. (photo courtesy of Chip Snivley)
Former Kerr-Vance cager Abby Taylor drives past former teammate Kiyona Patton as Crossroads defeated Kerr-Vance 52–31 in the first round of the NCISAA state 1A tournament. The Colts made a competitive showing against Terra Ceia in the second round to cap a very successful campaign for a program that has struggled in recent years.
Maya Lloyd is held high in the air by fellow cheerleaders as the Vance Charter Knights are introduced under the lights of cell phones and exit signs.
Sports Photo Gallery
Henderson Before The Day Begins
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I arrived at Vance Charter early so I could park; I can’t walk far at all. I went in before the doors were open for spectators and stood inside the door and took this picture. Two lines of people were waiting to see a girls’ basketball game. No boys; the gym would be emptied before the boys game started and everyone knew it.
The rival with Oxford Prep will never match Vance and Webb or Wake Forest and Millbrook; I know that and I’m sure they do. I’ve seen 4A games with over 10,000 fans; these two schools will not likely ever see 1000. But I’ve also seen a 4A girls basketball game with only 7 spectators, and that included parents. That team went on to win a 4A state title. And now I’m looking at hundreds of people lined up to see a girls 1A game an hour before it starts. That’s how far the girls have come in the 30 years I’ve written stories about them.
I can’t pull for one team over the other. There are kids on both teams I think the world of: Allie Bliss, Kadence Woodlief, Grace Stovall, Sam Huff…. these aren’t stick figures and stats that get caught up in my lens; they are awesome young people who are proof that the future of our hometown is in good hands. Today I’m happy for all of them because they were able to take part in something magical… a packed house that was there to see THEM. That’s important, because #littlegirlsdreamtoo.
Matt Page is also dedicated to giving students fair coverage. Like me, he keeps up with all the local schools and operates non-profit. Visit his web site at tarriverpreps.com
Springtime Is Coming (photo gallery)
Piedmont Online is a free e-paper and blog serving Vance, Franklin and Granville counties and surrounding communities. We strive to bring you positive news with a spotlight on youth.
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