In this screengrab from Sunday, Jan. 19’s final-round broadcast on The Golf Channel, caddie Duane Bock of Morganton (left) and golfer Sepp Straka go in for a hug after winning The American Express in La Quinta, Calif., for Straka’s third career PGA Tour title.
Sepp Straka surged into the lead on Saturday, Jan. 18, and held on the following day to claim The American Express in La Quinta, Calif., for his third PGA Tour win all-time and second with Morganton’s Duane Bock on the bag.
Straka shot a 7-under 65 to open the event, which was held on three different courses: PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course, La Quinta Country Club, and the Pete Dye Stadium Course.
He then fired a 64 and stood at 15-under at the halfway point before a third-round 64 on Saturday gave him a four-stroke lead entering the final day.
Though Straka’s final margin was trimmed to two strokes, the 31-year-old Austria native said he was proud that he avoided a meltdown all day and instead maintained a comfortable margin, as he led by at least three shots until the 18th hole.
“Nerves, just complete nerves,” Straka told reporters after the round. “Stomach in a knot, the whole (back) nine. So, yeah, just really excited about the way I handled the pressure today.
“This golf course, you can’t really let up. You’ve still got to make really aggressive swings, because you’re one swing away from a double bogey. I think that was the biggest challenge today was keeping aggressive on my targets.”
The win netted Straka $1,584,000, the largest payday of his career, and moved him to No. 2 in the 2025 PGA Tour FedEx Cup points standings. Straka is currently 19th in the latest Official World Golf Rankings.
Bock has been caddying professionally since 2007 and for Straka since July 2023. It was the duo’s first win since their first week together at the John Deere Classic.
Byrd named ACC freshman of week
Byrd
East Burke High School 2024 graduate KJ Byrd was recently named the ACC men’s track and field freshman of the week for events spanning Jan. 12-18, the league office announced.
A 10-time prep state gold medalist with the Cavaliers, Byrd made his collegiate debut on Jan. 17 at the Bellarmine Open, finishing as the runner-up in the men’s pole vault with a height of 5.10 meters (16 feet, 8¾ inches).
The mark ties him for fifth in the ACC thus far this season and also moves him into a tie for fifth in program history in the event.
The reigning USA Track and Field U20 national champion in the decathlon also got some work in on the track, clocking a time of 50.75 seconds in the 400 meters to cap his season opener.
Byrd, who became Burke County’s first prep track All-American last month, also became the first Cardinals athlete this season to earn ACC weekly honors in the sport.
Logan transfers to L-R to end career
Logan
Former Freedom High School two-sport star Michael Logan will be closer to home to play his final season of collegiate baseball.
Logan recently updated his X account to include Lenoir-Rhyne baseball, and the graduate student is listed on the Bears’ roster on the university’s official athletic website.
Logan played at North Carolina A&T for the past two seasons after having spent part of three seasons (two impacted by COVID) at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.
With the Aggies, the right-handed outfielder hit just over .300 in 219 at-bats spanning his two seasons, also totaling three home runs, 13 doubles, 42 runs, 29 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. He also earned NCAA Division I Coastal Athletic Association player of the week honors once last spring after hitting a walk-off home run.
Logan, who entered the transfer portal in June 2024 shortly after last season, hit .348 with nine doubles, two triples, three homers, 57 runs, 47 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases in his final season at Caldwell as the team notched a third-place finish in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III World Series.
Logan averaged over 12.0 points per game and provided plenty of highlight-reel dunks as a junior and senior basketball player with the Patriots, who reached the NCHSAA West Regional semifinals or beyond in two of his last three seasons, earning All-Burke County honors in both sports.
FHS’ Adkins wins 2023-24 distinction
Adkins
Current Freedom High School football head coach and FHS 1997 alum JK Adkins was recently honored by the National Federation of High Schools’ Coaches Association as its 2023-24 state coach of the year in the sport.
Adkins, 46, was head coach at Mount Airy during the 2023 season, guiding his Granite Bears to a 16-0 season and NCHSAA 1A state championship. It was the team’s second consecutive state title in truly dominant fashion as they outscored their opposition by an 809 to 91 margin over the 16 games.
Adkins previously was named 1A state coach of the year in 2015 and 2022 and was named overall state coach of the year following the 2023 season. He will serve as West head coach in the East-West All-Star Game in December 2025, becoming just the second football coach with Freedom ties and first-ever active Patriots coach to hold that distinction.
Adkins returned to FHS this past year and guided the Patriots to a 6-5 season that included a first-place 3A finish in the split Northwestern Conference and the program’s first home playoff game in five years.
Adkins’ career record as a head coach in 17 seasons is 130-79, spanning stops at South Iredell (2005-06), and Patton (2007-09) — where he was the program’s first coach — as well as East Wilkes (2012-2017), Mount Airy (2018-2023), and Freedom (2024).
Shook commits to Brevard baseball
Shook
East Burke senior baseball player Barger Shook finalized his college plans on Jan. 16 as he announced on his X account that he had verbally committed to NCAA Division III Brevard College. Shook is “100% committed” to the Tornados, according to his post.
“... I would like to give all thanks to God for giving me these abilities and allowing me to play at the next level,” Shook wrote, before also thanking his family, teammates, and friends.
The Cavaliers’ 6-foot-5 left-handed pitcher/outfielder was named to The Paper’s inaugural All-Burke County baseball team and was also named All-Catawba Valley 2A Conference in the spring of 2024.
As a junior, he made 10 pitching appearances, recording four saves with a 4.36 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 17⅔ innings. At the plate, Shook finished with 15 hits, which included four doubles and the Cavs’ only two triples, while also knocking in four runs, scoring 11 times, and stealing seven bases.
Shook is also an EB basketball standout who ranks sixth in the county at 12.0 points per game and leads the Cavaliers in rebounds. And in football this past fall, he led the Cavaliers with 14 receptions which he turned into 193 yards and one touchdown.
The Tornados finished 22-19 overall in 2024, including a 13-8 mark in the USA South Conference.
EB’s Fox lands 2nd college offer
Fox
East Burke senior football player Jordan Fox recently received his second collegiate offer, he announced Jan. 17 on his Facebook page. The offer came from NCAA Division III Guilford College.
Fox posted the news with the caption “Gracias a Dios,” which translates to “Thank God.”
The Cavaliers linebacker, who previously was offered by Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, in November, this past fall notched a county-high 106 tackles (68 solo) one year after ranking second in the county with 94 tackles.
Fox also finished the season with 11 tackles for loss and added three forced fumbles, two pass deflections, one interception, one sack, and one fumble recovery in his repeat All-Burke County and All-CVAC season.
The Quakers finished 3-7 overall, including 0-7 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, in 2024.
Draughn baseball’s 2nd alumni game
Draughn High School recently announced it will hold its second annual alumni baseball game on Saturday, Feb. 22 beginning at 11 a.m.
All former Wildcats players and coaches are encouraged to attend the event, in which the alumni team will take on the 2025 varsity version of the Wildcats, who are three-time defending conference champions.
All alumni who are interested in participating should contact assistant coach Yates Jensen in advance at 828-443-5746 or yatesjensen@gmail.com. The alumni registration form can be found at shorturl.at/jpUQx.
Confirmed alumni players include Lucas Clarke, Brantley Norris, and Alex McGee, all from the class of 2012, as well as Landon Murray (2015), Daniel Melton (2019), John Robert Abernathy and Thomas Lambert from the class of 2023, and 2024 graduate Hunter Cody.
There is no spectator admission charge for the contest, but donations are welcome.
Local recreation signups ongoing
The Morganton, Valdese, and Burke County recreation departments each currently have signups ongoing for various winter/spring sports.
Signups are ongoing for Morganton youth baseball/softball/T-ball for ages 4 to 13 (ends Feb. 12) as well as for adult volleyball for ages 18 and older (ends Feb. 9). Organizational meetings in each sport will be held at the Collett Street Recreation Center the day after registration ends. Call Jesse Bunton at 828-438-5371 to sign up or for additional details.
Also, signups for the “9th Green at 9” Morganton adult golf league will start Feb. 17, with league play set to start in April. Cost is $50 per player. Contact Andrew Tallent at atallent@morgantonnc.gov or 828-438-5350 for more details.
Burke County youth indoor soccer signups for ages 5-15 are also ongoing at athletic foundations countywide. Contact Wesley Hasson at 828-764-9090 for more details. The season typically starts in February and lasts until April.
And Valdese is still holding signups for its girls youth volleyball league (for third through eighth grades). Games and practices will all be held in Valdese. Visit valdese.recdesk.com to register.
Hise/Buckner win Silver Creek tourney
Silver Creek Golf Club welcomed 26 brave golfers making up 13 total teams at its chilly Winter Two-Person Texas Scramble tournament on Jan. 18.
Two-time reigning club champion Shane Hise teamed with Robert Buckner for a round of 67 and a one-stroke victory in the gross portion over three other teams, including 2024 Bubba tournament winners David Simpson and Byron Bailey.
The team of Scruggs/Jackson (first names not available) was part of the second-place gross tie at 68 and won the net portion with a handicap-adjusted score of 64.3.
They also took home three skins with a birdie on No. 11 and eagles on the 10th and 12th holes. Charles Jennings claimed two of the four closest-to-the-pin holes, Nos. 13 and 17.
NCHSAA announces winter championship sites
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) recently announced locations and dates for its 2025 winter sports championships.
The swimming and diving state championships will be held Feb. 5-8 at Raleigh’s Pullen Aquatic Center (diving) and Cary’s Triangle Aquatic Center (swimming). The 4A diving champions will be crowned on Feb. 5, followed by the 3A diving championship meet on Feb. 6 and the 1A/2A diving championship meet on Feb. 7, while swimming will hold its 4A championship meet on Feb. 6, its 3A championship meet on Feb. 7, and its 1A/2A championship meet on Feb. 8.
In wrestling, the dual-team state title matches are scheduled for Feb. 8 at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Fieldhouse, with the 1A and 3A matches to begin at noon and the 2A and 4A matches slated for a 3 p.m. start time. Meanwhile, the Greensboro Coliseum will host the individual championships for boys and girls from Feb. 20-22.
Indoor track and field state championships will take place at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem on Feb. 14 (1A/2A) and Feb. 15 (3A in morning, 4A in afternoon).
Finally, the boys and girls basketball regional and state title games will be played at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem from March 10-15. Regional champions will be decided March 10-13, followed by the state championship contests March 14-15.
Paul Schenkel can be reached at 828-445-8595 or paul@thepaper.media.
