Area Sports Briefs: Former Wonder, Clemson star dies
Published 5:02 am Wednesday, April 19, 2023
- Tracy Johnson
From staff reports
Tracy Johnson, who starred at AL Brown in the early 1980s and played for the 1984 state runner-up team, has died at age 56.
Johnson, who lives in Georgia, was diagnosed with cancer in 2021.
Johnson went on to play fullback for three ACC championship teams at Clemson (1986-88) and was a two-time honorable mention All-America. He played in 46 games for the Tigers, including four bowl games.
Johnson led the ACC in rushing touchdowns in 1987.
He hurried to 1,579 yards in his career, scored 23 touchdowns and was credited with 180 knockdown blocks, still a record for Clemson backs.
In a 1987 win over North Carolina, Johnson totaled 124 yards on 25 carries and had 11 knockdown blocks.
In the 1988 Citrus Bowl, Johnson scored three touchdowns against Penn State, rushing for 88 yards on 18 carries. He was the first Tiger to score three touchdowns in a bowl game.
Johnson lasted until the 10th round of the 1989 NFL draft when the Houston Oilers selected him, but not only did he make the league, he lasted eight seasons.
He played in 121 NFL games for the Oilers, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Bucs and scored eight touchdowns. He totaled 228 rushing yards and 218 receiving yards.
In a playoff game in January 1992, Johnson scored the only touchdown for the Falcons in a 24–7 loss to the Washington Redskins at RFK Stadium.
HS soccer
Emily Kelly made 15 saves for West Rowan in Tuesday’s 6-0 loss to Lake Norman Charter.
The Falcons played without Brittany Vanhoose (illness).
HS golf
Salisbury golfers hold a 29-shot lead in the Central Carolina Conference standings after four games.
Salisbury’s John McCoy and Bryant Davis topped the individual standings.
HS baseball
Salisbury cruised to a 14-3 victory over North Hills on Monday.
The Hornets got two hits each from Hank Webb, Cole Price and Landon Tucker. Jackson Sparger drove in two runs.
Tucker pitched two innings and Price pitched three.
HS softball
Davie’s Sydney Dirks, a middle infielder headed to Western Carolina, hit her 20th home run to break the career record for the program.
college basketball
Catawba’s star guard Lyrik Thorne announced on social media that he plans to return.
Thorne was the Southeast Region Player of the Year and the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year
Thorne played four seasons, but one of them was the shortened COVID season where athletes were given a “redshirt” year.
college baseball
Liberty’s Kane Kepley (South Rowan) went 6-for-12 as the Flames went 2-1 in a weekend series at Kennesaw State.
Kepley had two doubles and two RBIs in Saturday’s win.
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Methodist’s Jackson Deal (South Rowan) batted .352 and scored 56 runs in 32 games.
Deal has walked 34 times while striking out 15 times, and he has 15 steals in 16 attempts.
Deal went 5-for-10 with six runs scored as Methodist won two of three in a weekend series with Southern Virginia.
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Southern Wesleyan’s Payne Stolsworth (West Rowan) had another strong start Saturday in a 9-2 win over Greensboro.
Stolsworth (7-0) struck out 67 in 60 innings and was twice named USA South Pitcher of the Week.
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Sam Safrit (Carson) earned his first collegiate victory as Pfeiffer defeated William Peace 7-4 on Sunday.
Minor league baseball
The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (5-3) opened their home season on Tuesday night against the Charleston River Dogs.
The teams will play a six-game series before tipping off on Monday.
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Owen White (Carson) is off to a great start for the Frisco Roughriders.
White did not allow a run in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out five while allowing three walks and two hits.
College tennis
Catawba’s girls are seeded fifth in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament and will play No. 4 Anderson on Thursday in Sumter, SC
Mid. school baseball
Brody Pope went 3-for-3 in West Rowan’s 11-4 win over China Grove.
Cole Ludwick and Connor DiCarlo had two hits and two RBI.
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Corriher-Lipe picked up a 12-0 win over Southeast.
Jacob Prevette threw a gem on the mound, pitching five innings of no-hit ball while striking out seven.
Prevette, Case Beaver, and Blake Hunter had multiple hits.
Kaleb Underwood drove in five runs.
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Corriher-Lipe won 16-0 against Knox at Arnold “Fat” Correll Field.
Blake Hunter and Levi Ballard each had three RBIs.
Noah Yow and Dalton Mullis knocked in two ran. Korbin Childers, Brennan Culp, Matthew Hamilton, Nick Washburn, and Easton Akers had RBIs.
Hunter, Childers, and Yow combined for eight strikeouts and did not allow a hit or walk.
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West Rowan scored five runs in the seventh to beat Southeast 15-14.
JR Taylor and Jayden Sanders drove in four runs apiece for the Bulldogs.
Taylor homered. Luke Bame drove in three runs.
Offers, commitments, and more.
West Rowan wrestler Cristian Hercules, 3A heavyweight champ, plans to continue his career at UNC Pembroke.
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North Rowan girls basketball star Bailee Goodlett visited Winston-Salem State.
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Salisbury defensive back Tyree Brown committed to Livingstone.
Local golf
In a McCanless Couples Captain’s Choice event, the team of JD Kirk, Larry Clifton, Crystal Clement and Susan Wydner defeated the team of Clarence Hobart and Azalee & David Huneycutt for first place.
Heather DePalma-Spivey had the closest to the pin.