Former Jaguar Rich Leeper named CAA golfer of the week, again

James Madison senior Rich Leeper was selected as CAA Men’s Golfer of the Week after posting a first place finish at the 2013 Bash at the Beach. It was his second CAA weekly honor in less than a month.

Leeper shot a 9-under 204 (67-72-65) at the par 71, 6741-yard Surf Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The former Carrboro High standout began the final round tied with teammate Trey Smith for third place before firing a career-low 6-under 65 to edge Smith by one stroke. His final round tied for the second lowest in school history, while his final score of 204 was the third-lowest 54-hole total in school history.

Leeper helped lead the Dukes to a third-place overall finish (286, +6).

Gilliam pitching well for UNCG

Former Chapel Hill Tiger Lee Gilliam started and pitched well Saturday for UNC Greensboro but didn’t get a decision as the Spartans fell to Elon 6-3. He scattered seven hits across 6.2 innings pitched – striking out five and walking just two of the 27 batters he faced.

The loss went to UNCG reliever Corey Taylor, who allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits in one inning pitched. Gilliam recorded the first two outs of the seventh inning before Elon tied the game at 3-3.

Gilliam is a UNCG sophomore who came into the season ranking second on the Spartan staff in strikeouts

Carolina-6 coaches of the year

Three coaches of winter sports at Chapel Hill High School were named Carolina 3A Coach of the Year: Tod Morgan (men’s basketball), Sherry Norris, (women’s basketball) and Steve Reigler (swimming).

Scott wraps up first year at Guilford

Former Chapel Hill High School player Lila Scot recently completed her first season with the Guilford College women’s basketball team.

Scott, a 5-8 shooting guard, played in all of Guilford’s 29 games this season, and averaged 3.4 points and 0.5 rebounds per game off the bench. She ranked second on the team with 20 three-pointers made and first with a .364 three-point field-goal percentage.

Scott’s best game came against Salem College on Jan. 17 when she scored a career-high 12 points and went 5-for-5 from the free throw line.

Daughter of Robert and Wendy Scott, she was a three-time All-Carolina 6 Conference selection and was named to the 2011-12 NCPreps.com 3A All-State Team. Scott was named the team’s MVP in 2011 and 2012, and last year she helped the Tigers go 27-3 and reach the NCHSAA state quarterfinals.

Coach Stephanie Flamini’s Quakers finished with a 24-5 overall record, 14-2 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). Guilford won the 2013 ODAC Tournament as the defending champions and received a second straight bid to NCAA Division III Tournament. The Quakers expect as many as 10 letter winners back in 2013-14 including Scott.

Mead wins division at Cary DU Classic

Russell Mead of Chapel Hill won the men’s 45-49 division at the Cary DU Classic earlier this month. Mead completed the 31-mile biking circuit sandwiched between two 5-mile runs in 2 hours, 31 minutes and 25 seconds, finishing seventh overall.

James Haycraft of Charlotte was the overall winner of the duathlon, held March 9 in Cary, in 2:17:01.

Hicks shines in 3A championship game

University of North Carolina basketball fans should be happy after viewing the stat line for Tar Heel recruit Isaiah Hicks in the N.C. high school basketball championships.

A 6-8 forward with tremendous leaping ability, Hicks produced 34 points and a tournament record 30 rebounds in Webb’s 73-70 overtime win Saturday against Statesville in the NCHSAA 3A championship game. He was credited with seven blocks, but he deflected several others and made the Greyhounds rearrange their approach to the basket all night.

Hicks’s first half would have made for a great game for most players – especially in a championship final. He had 13 points and 16 rebounds in the first 16 minutes of play.

Chapel Hill High School’s team, eliminated from the state playoffs by Webb, should take pride in beating the Warriors twice this year and defeating them for the Carolina-6 championship.