Charlotte sweeps team, individual titles at Mimosa Invitational

(UPDATED MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2026, AT 3 P.M.)

The Charlotte women’s golf team won its first ever title at the annual Mimosa Invitational in dramatic fashion on March 31, finishing with a team score of 906 (42-over par) in the 54-hole event to clip runner-up Appalachian State by one stroke and third-place Longwood by two strokes.

The 49ers program also sported the individual champion at the tournament, which is hosted by App State at Mimosa Hills Golf Club in Morganton, as Thailand native Pinky Chaisilprungruang, a sophomore, shot two rounds of 70 on March 30 and followed with a 74 on March 31 to win by eight strokes with a 2-under total of 214.

The win was the fifth of Chaisilprungruang’s collegiate career.

“The last hour of golf was a great experience for our team,” Charlotte coach C.C. McMahan said after her team’s second title of the 2025-26 season and fifth tourney title all-time. “We started the final round with the lead but gave it up after committing some mistakes and still trailed going down the stretch. Emma Heyman and Pinky Chaisilprungruang showed a ton of courage and clutch play on their final shots to give our team a chance to win.

“I told Pinky, for our team to win she had to make her birdie putt (on No. 18), and that’s exactly what she did with all the pressure on her shoulders. That is what champions are made of.”

Heyman (9-over) tied for fifth place, while Charlotte teammates Jette Schulze (10-over) tied for eighth and Ting Uang (11-over) tied for 10th, though Schulze’s score did not count toward the team total as she was playing as an individual in her first event since August 2025.

Freshman Zoe Duval led the Mountaineers as she tied for fifth place, while teammates Alisa Pressley (12-over), Ona Lukes (13-over), and Salem Lee (13-over) also finished inside the top 15 individually.

Longwood was led by individual runner-up Avery Nordman (6-over), whose event was highlighted by an even-par opening round.

Also notably in the team standings, UNC Greensboro placed fourth and Gardner-Webb finished eighth in the 12-team event that also included Charleston Southern, North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, Presbyterian, Tennessee Tech, The Citadel, and Towson.

Individually, the rest of the top 10 included (in order) Charleston Southern’s Eugenie Varet (7-over), UNCG’s Lulu Leetham (7-over), Tennessee Tech’s Kaydi Rhodes (9-over), and Longwood’s Madison Lehr (10-over) and Abigail Sheldon (11-over). Leetham shot 71 in round two to post the only under-par round of the week aside from Chaisilprungruang.

Garris, EB squads win 3D state archery crowns

East Burke freshman Aubree Garris posted a score of 286 that included 18 perfect 10s as she claimed the high school overall and girls title at the National Archery in the Schools Program’s (NASP) N.C. State 3D Tournament, which was held March 28 at the Burke County Fairgrounds in Morganton.

Behind Garris and several other top performers, EBHS won the team state title at the event, and East Burke won the middle school team 3D state title the same day as well.

Those two teams, as well as runner-up Drexel Elementary and seventh-place squads Table Rock Middle and Freedom High, all advance to Eastern Nationals in Louisville, Ky., from May 7-9.

Also for EBHS, freshman Conner Kerley (284) placed second among boys, senior Natalie Bell (282) placed second among girls, Seth Ward (282) was fourth among boys, Hudson Lentz (280) was fifth among boys, and Brielle Hubler (277) was fifth among girls. Freedom was led by Simon Hefner (263).

EBMS was led by Jaxon Blumke (270), Fisher Huffman (270), Miles Seagle (269), and Reagan Fowler (258), who was fifth among girls in the middle school division. TRMS was led by Gavin Vang (267), and 11th-place New Dimensions was led by Asher Antal (251).

In the elementary division, Drexel fifth grader Dawson Crowe (259) was second among boys, Dawson Poteat (247) was fourth among boys, and Eliza Warr (223) finished fifth among girls. George Hildebrand and Icard also participated in the event but did not post team scores, led individually by Kyleigh Hunt (227) and state bullseye champion Bailey Bartlett (213), respectively.

The Eastern Burke Archery Tournaments for both the bullseye and 3D disciplines were also held recently, March 20-21 at EBMS.

Garris (289, 19 10s) and Bartlett (278, 15 10s) won the girls bullseye titles in their respective age groups, and EB archers swept the high school and middle school 3D individual titles, with champions including Bell (283, 18 10s), state bullseye champ Luke Duncan (282, 15 10s), a freshman, eighth grader Maggie Mace (279, 13 10s), and sixth grader Hunter Huffman (274, 16 10s).

Host EBMS claimed both the 3D and bullseye team titles, and EBHS won the 3D team crown.

In 3D, Ward (280) placed second among high school boys and Hubler (271) was fifth on the girls side, while Mason Coburn (267) was fifth among middle school boys.

Second-place Drexel was led by Crowe (252), who was boys elementary runner-up, while Icard’s Bartlett (235) was fourth among elementary girls. George Hildebrand and Salem did not post team totals but were led individually by Hunt (232), who finished fifth among girls, and Landon Poteat (209), respectively.

And in bullseye, Kerley (284) placed second among high school boys to help EB to a second-place team finish, while EBMS’ title was also fueled by runner-up finishes from Marshall Withers (276) and Paizley Danner (275).

William Bowman (275) was fourth among middle school boys to pace fourth-place Heritage, while Layton Morris (267) led sixth-place Table Rock, Antal (243) led New Dimensions, and Cason Scott (232) was Liberty’s top archer.

Icard finished second as a team, and Drexel was third, led by Crowe (275) in third place among boys. Hunt (262) led George Hildebrand, and Salem was led by Eli Horton (259) in fifth among boys.

Valdese Sports HOF tickets available now

The Valdese Sports Hall of Fame on April 2 announced that tickets are now on sale for the group’s second annual set of inductions on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Old Rock School.

Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased during business hours at Brinkley Insurance, located at 142 Main St. East in Valdese, or from Rotary Club members Rexanna Lowman (rexannalowman@gmail.com) or Karen Linkous (karenlinkous20@gmail.com).

The evening will feature a social hour at 5 p.m., dinner catered by Highlands Butchery of Valdese at 6 p.m., and the induction ceremony at 7 p.m.

The 2026 HOF class — which was previously announced and represents individuals honored for their accomplishments from the 1950s to the early 2000s — will consist of Joni Berry, Leo Brevard, Danny Bridges, David Brinkley, Janice Turner Cline, John Connor Lafferty, Billy Smith, Katie Gravel Stilwell, Bill Viggers Jr., and Bob Williams.

For more information on the Valdese Sports HOF, its guidelines, or its nomination process, visit rotaryclubofvaldese.com/vshof. Inquiries can be made through the Valdese Sports Hall of Fame Facebook page.

Silver Creek hosts spring match play tourney

The team of Jim McMahan and James Pittman won the first flight title at Silver Creek Golf Club’s Spring Match Play tournament, which was held March 27-29.

The other flight winners at the event were Keith Rhyne and Bobby Patel (second), Steven Mace and Daniel Moneyham (third), Matt McCarthy and Steve Jones (fourth), Steve and Danny Watkins (fifth), whose 31 points from their five matches were a tournament-best, and Ben Hall and Tom Chapman (sixth).

Silver Creek’s Masters Par 3 tournament is April 8, and the Bubba tournament is April 11-12. For more information or to register for either event, visit screekgolf.com, call 828-584-6911, or visit the club’s pro shop.

Silver Creek also starts junior classes for ages 7 through 13 on April 7. The classes will run five successive Tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m., and total cost is $150 (or $40 per week individually).

South Mountain, Sunrise Rotary 5Ks held

NCSSM-Morganton junior Alexander Hruby (17:58) won the men’s 5K title, and Mary Katherine Mull of Morganton (22:55) won the women’s 5K title at the South Mountain 5K, 10K, and Fun Run held along the Catawba River Greenway in Morganton on March 21.

In the 10K portion, 15-year-old Colt Wilson (36:59) won the men’s race, and Morganton’s Lauren Chapman (53:38) was the women’s champion. The event, which serves as a benefit for South Mountain Baptist Camp, featured 181 total participants.

The following weekend featured the Burke Sunrise Rotary Club’s Strides for STRIVE 5K, a race through the campuses of Western Piedmont Community College, NCSSM-Morganton, and the North Carolina School for the Deaf.

Morganton residents Taylor Adams, 31, and Erin McKee, 40, were men’s and women’s champions after completing the race in times of 17:29 and 21:39, respectively.

Other in-county division winners at the race were Matt McDaniel (male masters), Christian Abner (female masters), S. Hernandez (male 13 and under; first name not available), Leelah Edwards (female 13 and under), Beckham Welch (male 14-19), Beleny Berduo-Garcia (female 14-19), and Joseph Irvin (male 40-49).

MEHS Hillbilly Smash coming in late April

The Mid East Hare Scramble (MEHS) off-road racing series makes its first of two annual stops in Burke County on April 25-26 at the Hillbilly Smash course at Chapman Farms.

The venue, which hosts MEHS action for a fourth consecutive season, is located at 2908 Jeeter Carswell Road in Morganton. Hillbilly Smash represents the fifth of 14 total races for the MEHS in 2026, and the series makes it return this fall on Sept 12-13.

ATVs will race on day one, and dirt bikes take to the track on day two. Youth action starts off the slate both days, at 9 a.m. on day one and 8 a.m. on day two, followed by adult amateur races, and finally, pro races early both afternoons. For more details, visit mideastracing.com.

Lady Wildcats basketball camp set for July

Draughn High School will host its 2026 Lady Wildcats basketball camp July 13-15 for rising second-grade through eighth-grade females from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Cost is $40 for those who pre-register by June 27 or $50 at the door, and every camper who registers will receive a T-shirt.

The camp will include skill development, one-on-one time with coaches and players, guest speakers, awards, and more, and registration is available online at tinyurl.com/3a4xwb82.

NAWA to hold show during Burke County Fair

Individuals who attend the Burke County Spring Fair today (Saturday, April 11) will also receive the opportunity to watch a professional wrestling show for free with gate admission.

The North American Wrestling Alliance (NAWA) comes to the Burke County Fairgrounds in Morganton several times each year, with the promotion most recently holding a show there on March 7.

NAWA will open the doors for “Fury at the Fair” at 6 p.m., while the main show is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Children ages 6 and younger get into the fair for free, while ages 7-12 will be admitted for $5 and ages 13 and older for $10.

Parking is free for the fair, and the following matches will take place during the NAWA event: Pretty Boy Bailey versus Will Maguire, Bryan Jaccobs versus Big Nasty, Big Donnie versus Wakiza, a tag team match between Freak Love (William Goodman and Gary Stryder) and V.S.P. (Mike Maughan and Curtis Robertson), and an additional singles match that will feature Jay Cage in action.