Appalachian State an ESPY finalist
Appalachian State's football victory at Michigan last year has been nominated for an ESPY award in the best upset category. The Mountaineers' 34-32 victory over the then-No. 5 Wolverines in the season opener marked the first time a team from a lower division beat a major ranked school.
Other nominees for best upset are the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, Fresno State in the College World Series and Da' Tara in the Belmont Stakes.
North Carolina has two finalists for individual awards - basketball player Tyler Hansbrough for best male college athlete and field hockey player Rachel Dawson for best female college athlete. Hansbrough's competitors are Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Kansas State basketball player Michael Beasley. Dawson is going up against Tennessee basketball player Candace Parker and Virginia Tech softball pitcher Angela Tincher.
Davidson basketball guard Stephen Curry is a finalist for best breakthrough athlete. His competitors: NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and French Open tennis champion Ana Ivanovic. The winners will be decided by fan voting (www.espys.tv) and announced July 20.
BASEBALL
HITOMS 3, FOREST CITY 1: C.J. Beatty doubled twice and drove in a run for visiting Thomasville. Jesse Haney gave up six hits in seven innings.
EDENTON 11, COPPERHEADS 3: Greg Holt singled in two runs for visiting Asheboro. Broc Sutton hit a two-run homer for Edenton.
GRASSHOPPERS: Five former Grasshoppers - Chris Coghlan, Chris Mobley, John Raynor, Gaby Sanchez and Chris Volstad - were selected for the Southern League All-Star game, which will be July 14 at Zebulon. All play for the Double-A Carolina Mudcats.
BASKETBALL
N.C. GATERS: Cody Hylton scored 21 points, and the N.C. Gaters 13-and-under team from Greensboro beat the Philadelphia Peacemakers 56-45 in the Division I AAU national tournament. Deon Robinson scored 15, Kevin Parrish 14 and Rayshaun Mayfield had 14 rebounds for the Gaters, who finished 3-0 in pool play and advanced to the championship bracket at Memphis, Tenn. They will play the Milwaukee Running Rebels today.
GOLF
NORTH-SOUTH: Nathan Stamey, who just completed his senior season at UNCG, won in the first round of match play in the 108th North and South Amateur at Pinehurst. Stamey, from Canton, beat Kevin Foley of Somerville, N.J., 2 and 1. Drew Younts of Stokesdale, a rising junior at UNCG, lost 5 and 4 to Pan Cheng-Tsung of Upland, Calif. Scott Harvey of Greensboro lost 4 and 3 to Morgan Hoffman of Saddle Brook, N.J.
