TakinG iT in STride
Sports
Saturday, May 2, 2015 wilsontimes.com 1B
TheWilsonTimes www.wilsontimes.com
NCHSAA regional golf to make its debut at Wilson Country Club By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
During the year of its centennial celebration, Wilson Country Club is being readied for still another first. Ranked No. 78 among North Carolina’s golf courses by the North Carolina Business publication, WCC will be the venue for the first time for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A East Regional
on Monday. Eleven five-member teams and some 20 individuals not attached to qualifying teams — a field of approximately 75 golfers — are expected to compete for three team and four individual spots to next week’s NCHSAA 3-A Championship at Longleaf Golf & Country Club in Pinehurst. The entries include a pair of Wilson teams — host Fike and Big East Conference champion
Panthers trade 3 picks to draft Michigan WR Devin Funchess By Steve Reed AP Sports Writer
option for the cheerful 17-yearold. “Lauren is a lot like her father — she is very competitive — and she doesn’t like anything or anyone to beat her, including POTS,” said her mother, Tonya. “I’ve been amazed. She’s dealt
CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers added another big target in the passing game for Cam Newton. The Panthers traded up Friday night to select Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess in the second round of the NFL draft. The Panthers surrendered their second round (57th), third round (89th) and sixth round (201st) picks to move up 16 spots in the second round to take the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Funchess 41st overall. Funchess gives the Panthers another tall, physical wide receiver to pair with Kelvin Benjamin, last year's first-round draft pick. “Like I've said before, you can't coach size,” Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said, stealing a line from last year when the team selected the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Benjamin. “Devin plays fast and he's a smooth, fluid big man. And he's a very smart kid. He knows all three (wide receiver) positions and knew the blocking schemes.” The Panthers believe Funchess has a huge upside and will create mismatches against opposing defenses, particularly when paired with Benjamin and Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen. Coach Ron Rivera said there were some initial concerns about Funchess' speed after he ran a 4.70 in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. But Funchess worked to dispel some of those concerns by running a 4.47 at Michigan's pro day workout. All of that doesn't concern Funchess. “My game speed is faster than my 40-yard dash time,” Funchess said. Funchess is coming off a productive season for the Wolverines, catching 62 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns, earning second-team AllBig Ten honors. He had seven grabs against national champion Ohio State for 108 yards after moving over from playing tight end in 2013. Funchess said he didn't feel like any other wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine had his skill set. “Most of the wideouts can only play one (wide receiver) position,” Funchess said. “I can play them all.” The Panthers turned to the offensive side of the ball on Friday night after selecting linebacker Shaq Thompson from Washington with the 25th overall pick. Carolina struggled scoring points in 2014, finishing 19th in the league. That prompted Gettleman to bring back free agent wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., an explosive player in 2013 who left to play for the Arizona Cardinals last season. When the Cardinals released Ginn earlier this offseason the Panthers jumped at the chance to bring him back. But they still wanted more. “He's a matchup issue,” Gettleman said. “And just like with Shaq, there is a
See WEST, Page 2B
See PANTHERS, Page 5B
For the first time, Wilson Country Club will be the site of an NCHSAA golf regional as the 3-A boys tournament tees up Monday.
Tom Ham | Times
Hunt. The teams will be representing the Big East, Eastern Carolina, Twin Rivers, Coastal
and Southeast conferences.
See WCC, Page 2B
Taking it in stride
Hunt junior West slowed, but not sidelined by POTS By Paul Durham Sports Editor
Imagine that you are a high school athlete, a runner — a champion runner, at that. Now imagine that one day your heart beats much faster than normal when you just simply stand up. You get dizzy, your legs go numb when you walk and you feel tired all the time. You can’t sleep well and you get really bad headaches. That’s what Lauren West has been dealing with since last August, shortly before her junior year at Hunt High began. For Lauren, who emerged as a dominant cross-country and track performer for the Lady Warriors since her freshman year, dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — or POTS — hasn’t been easy. For one thing, when walking or just sitting upright becomes a chore, running a mile becomes an ordeal. She’s had to scale back her participation for the Lady Warriors track team this spring and will not compete in Saturday’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A East Regional meet at Corinth Holders High. It will be the first regional — track or cross-country — that she’s missed and it means that she won’t be able to compete in the state 3-A meet in Greensboro on May 9. “I’m disappointed I’m not going but there will be other regionals and other meets,” she said during an interview inside
Hunt High’s Lauren West flashes her trademark smile with her parents, Tonya and Sandy, after winning the 3-A Big East Conference girls cross-country championship as a sophomore in October 2013. West, now in her junior season, has seen her track career slowed this spring by the effects of an autonomic dysfunction known as POTS. Contributed photo
the West family living room Monday. “One of my goals was to hit every single state meet so that’s kind of hard.” While she said that with a certain wistfulness, West immediately punctuated the statement with a smile that flickers across her face several times a minute. For West, it seems that smiling comes as naturally as breathing. “It’s just a part of her,” said her father, Sandy. It could be easy for Lauren West to get depressed over her situation but that’s not even an
Hunt High’s Lauren West crosses the finish line as she won the 800-meter run at the 3-A Big East Conference championship meet in Rocky Mount as a sophomore in May 2014.
Randy Jones | Times
Mayweather, Pacquiao make weight for showdown in Vegas By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao weighed in below the welterweight limit Friday before a packed arena of screaming, singing fans anticipating the landmark bout. One day before Mayweather and Pacquiao final-
ly meet in the richest event in boxing history, they took the stage in an MGM Grand arena filled with 11,500 fans enjoying the public's best chance to see the fighters in person. A beaming Pacquiao (575-2, 38 KOs) stepped on the scales first and weighed in at 145 pounds — two below
See SHOWDOWN, Page 3B
If you’re about to retire or change jobs, you may have some decisions to make about your retirement plan money. Good thing there’s someone who knows you and is ready to help. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CALL ME TODAY.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and Manny Pacquiao pose during their weigh-in on Fridayin Las Vegas. The world weltherweight title fight between Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao is scheduled for tonight. AP
1001389.1
Saturday, May 2, 2015 wilsontimes.com 1B
TheWilsonTimes www.wilsontimes.com
NCHSAA regional golf to make its debut at Wilson Country Club By Tom Ham Senior Staff Writer
During the year of its centennial celebration, Wilson Country Club is being readied for still another first. Ranked No. 78 among North Carolina’s golf courses by the North Carolina Business publication, WCC will be the venue for the first time for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A East Regional
on Monday. Eleven five-member teams and some 20 individuals not attached to qualifying teams — a field of approximately 75 golfers — are expected to compete for three team and four individual spots to next week’s NCHSAA 3-A Championship at Longleaf Golf & Country Club in Pinehurst. The entries include a pair of Wilson teams — host Fike and Big East Conference champion
Panthers trade 3 picks to draft Michigan WR Devin Funchess By Steve Reed AP Sports Writer
option for the cheerful 17-yearold. “Lauren is a lot like her father — she is very competitive — and she doesn’t like anything or anyone to beat her, including POTS,” said her mother, Tonya. “I’ve been amazed. She’s dealt
CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers added another big target in the passing game for Cam Newton. The Panthers traded up Friday night to select Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess in the second round of the NFL draft. The Panthers surrendered their second round (57th), third round (89th) and sixth round (201st) picks to move up 16 spots in the second round to take the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Funchess 41st overall. Funchess gives the Panthers another tall, physical wide receiver to pair with Kelvin Benjamin, last year's first-round draft pick. “Like I've said before, you can't coach size,” Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said, stealing a line from last year when the team selected the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Benjamin. “Devin plays fast and he's a smooth, fluid big man. And he's a very smart kid. He knows all three (wide receiver) positions and knew the blocking schemes.” The Panthers believe Funchess has a huge upside and will create mismatches against opposing defenses, particularly when paired with Benjamin and Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen. Coach Ron Rivera said there were some initial concerns about Funchess' speed after he ran a 4.70 in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. But Funchess worked to dispel some of those concerns by running a 4.47 at Michigan's pro day workout. All of that doesn't concern Funchess. “My game speed is faster than my 40-yard dash time,” Funchess said. Funchess is coming off a productive season for the Wolverines, catching 62 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns, earning second-team AllBig Ten honors. He had seven grabs against national champion Ohio State for 108 yards after moving over from playing tight end in 2013. Funchess said he didn't feel like any other wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine had his skill set. “Most of the wideouts can only play one (wide receiver) position,” Funchess said. “I can play them all.” The Panthers turned to the offensive side of the ball on Friday night after selecting linebacker Shaq Thompson from Washington with the 25th overall pick. Carolina struggled scoring points in 2014, finishing 19th in the league. That prompted Gettleman to bring back free agent wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., an explosive player in 2013 who left to play for the Arizona Cardinals last season. When the Cardinals released Ginn earlier this offseason the Panthers jumped at the chance to bring him back. But they still wanted more. “He's a matchup issue,” Gettleman said. “And just like with Shaq, there is a
See WEST, Page 2B
See PANTHERS, Page 5B
For the first time, Wilson Country Club will be the site of an NCHSAA golf regional as the 3-A boys tournament tees up Monday.
Tom Ham | Times
Hunt. The teams will be representing the Big East, Eastern Carolina, Twin Rivers, Coastal
and Southeast conferences.
See WCC, Page 2B
Taking it in stride
Hunt junior West slowed, but not sidelined by POTS By Paul Durham Sports Editor
Imagine that you are a high school athlete, a runner — a champion runner, at that. Now imagine that one day your heart beats much faster than normal when you just simply stand up. You get dizzy, your legs go numb when you walk and you feel tired all the time. You can’t sleep well and you get really bad headaches. That’s what Lauren West has been dealing with since last August, shortly before her junior year at Hunt High began. For Lauren, who emerged as a dominant cross-country and track performer for the Lady Warriors since her freshman year, dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — or POTS — hasn’t been easy. For one thing, when walking or just sitting upright becomes a chore, running a mile becomes an ordeal. She’s had to scale back her participation for the Lady Warriors track team this spring and will not compete in Saturday’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A East Regional meet at Corinth Holders High. It will be the first regional — track or cross-country — that she’s missed and it means that she won’t be able to compete in the state 3-A meet in Greensboro on May 9. “I’m disappointed I’m not going but there will be other regionals and other meets,” she said during an interview inside
Hunt High’s Lauren West flashes her trademark smile with her parents, Tonya and Sandy, after winning the 3-A Big East Conference girls cross-country championship as a sophomore in October 2013. West, now in her junior season, has seen her track career slowed this spring by the effects of an autonomic dysfunction known as POTS. Contributed photo
the West family living room Monday. “One of my goals was to hit every single state meet so that’s kind of hard.” While she said that with a certain wistfulness, West immediately punctuated the statement with a smile that flickers across her face several times a minute. For West, it seems that smiling comes as naturally as breathing. “It’s just a part of her,” said her father, Sandy. It could be easy for Lauren West to get depressed over her situation but that’s not even an
Hunt High’s Lauren West crosses the finish line as she won the 800-meter run at the 3-A Big East Conference championship meet in Rocky Mount as a sophomore in May 2014.
Randy Jones | Times
Mayweather, Pacquiao make weight for showdown in Vegas By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao weighed in below the welterweight limit Friday before a packed arena of screaming, singing fans anticipating the landmark bout. One day before Mayweather and Pacquiao final-
ly meet in the richest event in boxing history, they took the stage in an MGM Grand arena filled with 11,500 fans enjoying the public's best chance to see the fighters in person. A beaming Pacquiao (575-2, 38 KOs) stepped on the scales first and weighed in at 145 pounds — two below
See SHOWDOWN, Page 3B
If you’re about to retire or change jobs, you may have some decisions to make about your retirement plan money. Good thing there’s someone who knows you and is ready to help. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CALL ME TODAY.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and Manny Pacquiao pose during their weigh-in on Fridayin Las Vegas. The world weltherweight title fight between Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao is scheduled for tonight. AP
1001389.1
