HS hoops playoff edition:Whirlie Girls gone/Dudley moves on…

It’s over for the Grimsley girls and this time around they exit in the opening game of the Regionals in Winston-Salem at Atkins High School. I was telling someone yesterday that I was worried about the game last night because the Whirlies had not really been tested all season long. Page gave them a couple of good games and Bishop McGuiness was there for the challenge but Grimsley needed tougher oppositon throughout the year and especially in the sectionals.

The Whirlies had a great two-year run only losing three times in that span and last night’s 50-44 loss to the West Charlotte Lions will leave a bad taste in their mouths for a long time to come, but don’t take anything away from these young ladies.

They were coached by a fine gentleman and a scholar, Phil Weaver. Mr. Weaver has given hours of time and service to his school and to the community and he is to be commended for his efforts. I believe last night was set to be his game as coach of the Whirlies and he will be greatlty missed. We will also miss those seniors who played their last game for GHS in last night’s loss.

Trumae Lucas, Krystin Fields, Jasmine Alston, Nicole Hargraves, and Amber Cook. Coach Weaver knew everything and anything about those girls and he just put his whole heart into coaching them as did Wayne Butler, and Phil Barry and even Hank Bullard.

Grimsley closes at (29-1) but the work that Coach Phil Weaver did with those Whirlie Girls, and going all the way back to raising his own daughter Stacey, that work and knowledge exchanged will go on forever.

We had news about Dudley’s new found rival Kinston here last night at GREENSBOROSports.com:

Kinston beat Dudley last year in the East finals at ECU and the Vikings went on to finish 2nd in the state 3-A finals to the Concord Spiders.

If Dudley(27-2) knocks off Greenville DH Conley(25-4) tonight(Tuesday) they would meet the Kinston-Northern Vance winner on Saturday afternoon at 1pm at ECU’s Minges Coliseum.

Final score:Kinston 74, Northern Vance 57…..Kinston is in the finals for the second straight year. Saturday 1pm vs. the Dudley-DH Conley winner…..

Kinston is now (26-4) overall and (25-0) against teams from the state of North Carolina.
*****News Flash*****
Dudley won their Regional semifinal matchup with DH Conley out of Greenville 75-67, behind the scoring and three-point shooting of Marcus Heath. Heath had 21 points and 4 threes and Brandon Pennix added 19 points and eight boards for the Panthers(28-2).

The Kinston Vikings will be a tough foe for Dudley with UNC-signee Reggie Bullock and Bo Ingram. Samuel “PJ” Hairston(I uncoverd the Samuel doing research last evening) hurt his knee in the Dudley win over DH Conley and he will need to be at full-strength on Saturday afternoon at 1pm.

Marcus Heath(playing like Rayshawn Polk with a better three than RP), Brandon Pennix(strong like William Graves but BP doesn’t take his shot outside), Mike Coger(not Kenny Belton but making strides), Brennan Wyatt(flowing more like Josh Chavis every day), Ricky Smith(a better shot-blocker than Robert Johnson from a few years back but has the same silent but deadly approach), and of course Samuel “PJ” Hairston(looks just like Vincent Whitt but is putting up freshman numbers like Braxton Williams)…

All of those Dudley Panthers mentioned above will have to take their games to a higher level come Saturday afternoon at 1pm in the Williams Arena at the Minges Coliseum at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.

Dudley(28-2) versus Kinston(26-4):ROUND TWO

One thought on “HS hoops playoff edition:Whirlie Girls gone/Dudley moves on…

  1. Andy:

    Thank you for the many kind words regarding me and my team – today and in the past. You and Jim do such a grand service to the high schools in this area and to the small colleges also. I will certainly miss our frequent encounters during basketball season.

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