Sports frenzy upon us

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My first intentions for a column this week were not about sports, but about the traffic situation on U.S. 64 around Walmart.

After seeing yet another wreck in that area last week, which once again drew my ire, I was dead set on writing my column about it. But my Managing Editor Randall Rigsbee advised me that maybe since this column runs in the sports section, maybe it should be about sports. And he is right.

If anyone is interested in getting a group together to push stop lights at the end of Progress Boulevard and Silk Hope Roads, count me in. The NC DOT higher-ups from Raleigh can come down and bully Siler City into putting medians in the middle of the highway all the way down 64, which will have a negative impact on our businesses, but they can’t address this situation which has already been the scene of a growing number of wrecks, including at least one fatal. It’s time for voices to be heard.

Now to sports.

What a great time of year it is. Basketball season is winding down and spring sports have gotten underway.

Here in Chatham County, the hoop dreams of area clubs in winning a state title are over, but it certainly was an exciting season, especially the last few weeks. Saturday will be a dream for lovers of high school basketball as eight state championships between the girls and boys 1A-4A classifications will be decided. So if you don’t have St. Patrick’s Day or ACC tournament plans, the 1A and 3A title games will be played at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill, and the 2A and 4A championship contests will be held at historic Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

And by the way, the NCAA tournament and March Madness are almost here. Another exciting event, especially with UNC and Duke so strong, and N.C. State certainly dangerous enough to make a run if the Wolfpack gets in a favorable bracket.

The 2019 spring sports season promises to be entertaining, at the least. All four county baseball teams look strong after a few seasons where traditional powers Chatham Central and Jordan-Matthews were very young. In fact, don’t be surprised if Chatham Central and Chatham Charter make runs at the 1A Central Tar Heel Conference title, Jordan-Matthews at the 2A PAC 7 crown, and Northwood at the 3A Big Eight Conference title. There is a lot of good talent on the diamond in Chatham County and there will be some exciting nights in the coming months here locally.

In softball, Chatham Central, Jordan-Matthews, and Northwood should all make impacts in their conferences. Chatham Central, in particular, has a chance to make a serious run at a state title with a lot of returning talent from a team that lost in the 3rd round of the 1A state playoffs last year to eventual state champion Alleghany.

Away from the diamond, there is also boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track and field, boys tennis, boys golf, and girls soccer going on. The Northwood boys lacrosse team is one that had budded into one of the strongest in the state, while the Lady Chargers are making history with its first team ever.

There will be hardly a day that goes by that a team from one of the five Chatham County schools isn’t playing in at least one sport.

So if you are sitting at home trying to find a way to spend your night, get out and support Chatham County’s student athletes. I promise you will be glad you did.

Chatham County, High School Sports, Highlights