Sports Shorts

Body

KERNERSVILLE

Crayton runs season best

Tri-County Early College freshman Fern Crayton ran her best time of the season so far at the NCRunners Elite XC Invitational on Saturday at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex.

On the same course that will be used for the N.C. High School Athletic Association state championships, Crayton ran a time of 20 minutes, 32.28 seconds. It’s the third-fastest time in the Smoky Mountain Conference so far this fall, and the fastest time for a Cherokee County runner by almost three minutes.

ANDREWS

Youth hoops signups set

It’s almost youth basketball season in Andrews, which will hold signups 5:30-6:30 p.m. today and noon-2 p.m. Saturday for kids in second through sixth grades.

Teams with more than 15 players may be subject to tryouts. Cost is $50 per child; additional siblings are $25 each. Bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate as well as a current sports physical.

RALEIGH

Send in pics of wildlife

The N.C. Wildlife Resources commission is accepting entries for the 18th annual Wildlife in North Carolina Photo Competition. The contest is open to photographers of all ages, except for employees of the Wildlife Commission and their immediate families. Entries will be accepted through 5 p.m. Jan. 31, 2023.

Adult entrants must be magazine subscribers, while those in the two youth categories (ages 13-17 and 12 and under) may enter without a subscription. Only digital entries in JPEG format and no larger than two MB will be accepted.

Two photos can be submitted in each of the following categories: Animal Behavior, Birds, Invertebrates, Mammals, Outdoor Recreation, Reptiles and Amphibians, Wild Landscapes, Wild Plants and Fungi. Only photos of captive native animals will be allowed, no pets or domestic animals will be accepted unless they’re participating in an outdoor activity.

The grand prize winner’s photo will be featured on the cover of the July/August 2023 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina and will receive a prize of $200. First through third places in the other categories will receive $100, $75 and $50. For details, visit ncwildlife.org/contest.

RALEIGH

Be careful with guns

With the fall hunting season underway, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to remind hunters about safety tips.

Some important ones include:

  • Always point a firearm in a safe direction.
  • Treat every firearm as if it were loaded, use binoculars rather than a nose scope to identify the target.
  • Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot and be sure of your target as well as what’s in front of and behind it.

The commission also recommends anyone hunting or even hiking on game lands wear orange so they can be easily identified.

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.

More hikers wanted here

Mountain High Hikers is looking for local residents who are interested in hiking.

The group offers three hikes: An 8- to 14-mile hike on Tuesdays, a 5- to 8-mile hike on Tuesdays and a 5- to 8-mile hike on Thursdays. The group also recruits trail maintainers.

For details, visit mountainhighhikers.org.

HIGH SCHOOL

SPORTS SCHEDULE

Today

Soccer: Swain County at Andrews, 4 p.m.

Murphy at Blue Ridge, 4 p.m.

Hayesville at Tri-County, 6 p.m.

Volleyball: Nantahala at Hiwassee Dam, 5 p.m.

Thursday

Soccer: Highlands at Andrews, 6 p.m.

Volleyball: Cherokee at Murphy, 6 p.m.

Andrews at Hayesville, 6 p.m.

Friday

Football: Murphy at Robbinsville, 7:30 p.m.

Andrews at Cherokee, 7:30 p.m.

Hayesville at Swain County, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Cross Country: Smoky Mountain Conference Championships at Kituwah Mound in Bryson City,

9 a.m.

Monday

Soccer: Andrews at Cherokee, 4:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge at Tri-County, 6 p.m.

Murphy at Highlands, 6 p.m.

Volleyball: Big Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament first round at Swain County.

Little Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament semifinals at Nantahala, first match 4:30 p.m.

SPORTS RESULTS

Oct. 4

Soccer: Highlands 9, Tri-County 0

Volleyball: Murphy 3, Robbinsville 1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-18)

Cherokee 3, Andrews 0 (25-15, 25-15, 28-26)

Hiwassee Dam 3, Nantahala 0 (25-8, 25-9, 25-14)

Oct. 5

Soccer: Swain County 9, Murphy 4

Oct. 6

Soccer: Highlands 9, Andrews 1

Volleyball: Murphy 3, Swain County 1 (25-19, 15-25, 25-18, 25-17)

Robbinsville 3, Andrews 0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-17)

Highlands 3, Nantahala 0 (25-16, 25-4, 15-12)

Oct. 7

Football: Andrews 33, Swain County 7

Murphy 21, Hayesville 14

Robbinsville 30, Cherokee 13

Oct. 10

Soccer: Murphy 3, Cherokee 1

Andrews 9, Tri-County 0

Compiled by Sports Writer Justin Fitzgerald.