WRESTLING
Lucksavage takes state
Murphy Middle School eighth-grader Zander Lucksavage won the state wrestling championship Saturday in Bermuda Run.
Lucksavage wrestled in the 128-pound weight class and worked his way through the bracket to secure the championship. The three-time Smoky Mountain Conference champion went undefeated during his middle school career.
OUTDOORS
Attorney at rod, gun club
Jerry Collins, a local attorney and Tar Heel native, will be the guest speaker at the Mountain Rod & Gun Club meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Collins has worked in Cherokee County for more than 40 years and has been involved on the boards of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Opportunities Inc. The former owner of Smoky Mountain Shooter’s Supply in Murphy also has knowledge of firearms as well as many years of experience as an attorney.
The club meets at 7 p.m. at Choices Pregnancy & Parenting Center, 1262 Andrews Road in Murphy.
Details: Contact club President Jeff Gustason at 828-837-2240.
TRACK
Teams try in last chance
The indoor track teams from Murphy and Andrews headed to Swain County on Feb. 5 to compete in a last chance meet with a shot at qualifying for state.
From Andrews, AJ Johnson finished in third in the long jump and 15th in the 55-meter dash. Isaac Patrick finished 10th in the 55m dash.
In the shot put, Logan Patrick finished ninth, William Wood came in 10th, Braydon Bohanon was 15th and Ayden Reeves came in at 17th.
From Murphy, Corrine Cotton came in second in the 500m dash and 11th in the 55m dash. Rylee Tabor came in 16th in the 55m dash, while Haile Hill came in seventh in the 300m dash.
The 4x200m relay team came in second place. Camden Breazeale came in fourth in the 55m hurdles, Brody Orton came in fourth in the triple jump and seventh in the shot put, and Charlie Graves came in 13th in the shot put.
Kamdyn Koop came in ninth in the 300m dash. In the 55m dash, Brady Grant came in ninth, Blake Davis came in 11th and Koop finished in 19th.
The indoor track teams will now transition to the spring track and field season.
BASEBALL
Little League seeking umps
The Blue Ridge Mountains Little League is looking for umpires for the upcoming season.
Last season, Blue Ridge Mountains was a part of Dizzy Dean, but they have switched to Little League for this season.
Details: To register as an umpire, visit brmlittleleague.com or call Randall Nehr at 828-557-0713.
ATHLETICS
Spring sports coming soon
As the winter sports head down their final stretch with conference championships and playoffs starting soon, spring sports are getting ready to kick off.
Baseball, softball, track and field, women’s soccer and men’s golf will be kicking off as early as today. According to the N.C. High School Athletic Association, teams can begin practice today.
The first game can be held as early as Monday, Feb. 24. Teams will likely not have their first game until March due to athletes participation in winter sports.
Murphy will field teams in the five spring sports. Andrews will have teams in four of the five, as the Wildcats do not have a girls soccer team.
Hiwassee Dam will have baseball, softball, and a track and field team. Meanwhile, Tri-County Early College will have girls soccer and track and field.
BASKETBALL
N.C. getting 2 new teams
A new girls professional basketball league – Upshot – has announced its inaugural four teams. The four teams will be in Greensboro and Charlotte, as well as in Savannah, Ga. and Jacksonville, Fla.
Upshot will begin their first season in May 2026 and teams will play 40 games, split evenly between home and away. The league will also look to expand beyond their initial four teams.
Charlotte’s team will play at Bojangles Coliseum, home to the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers. Greensboro’s team will play at Novant Health Fieldhouse, home of the Charlotte Hornets men’s NBA G League affiliate the Greensboro Swarm.
The league will not be affiliated with the WNBA, but Upshot Commissioner Donna Orender was the WNBA second president for six years and senior vice president of the PGA Tour for about 18 years.
Compiled by Sports Editor Cannon Crompton. Email items to sports@cherokeescout.com.