EB’s Stilwell, Freedom’s Caldwell receive all-state nods from HighSchoolOT

HighSchoolOT.com announced its fifth annual all-state girls basketball team this past Sunday, with two Burke County hoopsters making the cut.

Senior guards Braelyn Stilwell (East Burke) and Peyton Caldwell (Freedom) were named to the all-state first and third team, respectively. There were 15 players apiece on HighSchoolOT’s first, second, and third team, while 30 players received an honorable mention accolade.

Stilwell, who made HighSchoolOT’s all-state first team last year as well, finished her prep career as EB’s all-time leading scorer (male or female), and she’s also the Lady Cavaliers’ career leader in assists and steals. This past winter, the Carolinas Classic All-Star Game participant averaged a career-high 23.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game to go with 7.0 assists and 5.3 steals per contest en route to earning Catawba Valley 2A Conference and Burke County player of the year awards for the second straight season.

Also, a member of the All-District 10 first team for the second year in a row, Stilwell shot 57% from the field, 46% from 3-point range, and 83% at the free-throw line during the 2024-25 season. In addition, she led the Lady Cavs to their second straight 30-win season and third consecutive appearance in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 2A West Regional final.

As for Caldwell, she was the county’s leading scorer at 24.2 ppg, and she also averaged 6.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 2.4 spg. The WNC All-Star Game selection also shot 45% from the field, 35% from 3-point range, and 78% at the free-throw line this past winter.

Caldwell was previously named to the All-Northwestern 3A/4A Conference team for the third year in a row, and she was also an all-county first team honoree for the second straight season. Furthermore, she helped the Lady Patriots win at least one playoff game for the 19th consecutive year and recently made a verbal commitment to play at Mars Hill University after graduation.

McElyea plans to enter transfer portal

Former Draughn High School baseball standout Blake McElyea plans to enter the transfer portal on June 2, as revealed by his father, Shane, in a Facebook post last week.

A 6-foot-7 pitcher, McElyea is currently at NCAA Division I Queens University of Charlotte, although he has missed his entire freshman season after undergoing surgery on his ulnar nerve in February. The right-hander has four years of eligibility remaining.

After beginning his high school career at West Caldwell, McElyea joined the Wildcats as a junior. During his time at Draughn, he posted a 17-5 record, a 1.36 ERA, and 199 strikeouts against 15 walks in 128 1/3 innings spanning 25 appearances.

Queens has struggled to a 5-33 record (3-15 in Atlantic Sun Conference play) this spring, and they entered Friday’s road game against Florida Gulf Coast on a six-game losing streak.

Crump transfers to ETSU

Morganton native Brayden Crump will have a new home for the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season after recently transferring from Elon University to fellow Division I program East Tennessee State University (ETSU).

Crump appeared in 31 games (one start) for the Phoenix (17-16, 8-10 Coastal Athletic Association) this past season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 13 points in a 79-76 road loss to Monmouth on Feb. 27, also pulling down three boards and supplying one assist in 23 minutes.

A 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, Crump spent part of his prep career at Patton before later graduating from Winston-Salem Christian School. He has been at Elon since the spring semester of the 2023-24 school year, having joined the hoops program as a midyear enrollee.

ETSU is coming off a 19-13 campaign during which it finished 12-6 in Southern Conference play. Brooks Savage has been the head coach of the Phoenix since March 2023.

Silver Creek holds Bubba, Par 3 tourneys

Silver Creek Golf Club recently held two tournaments as its Masters Par 3 tournament was April 9 and the fifth annual Bubba tournament was April 12-13.

Club member Steve Jetter defended his Par 3 title by shooting a 3-under par 24 to win by two strokes over Byron Bailey and James Pittman. Jetter, who is also the reigning Burke County Open champion, highlighted his round with an ace on the first hole.

Flights No. 2 through 4 at the event each featured four-way ties for the title.

The team of Daniel Honeycutt and Frazier (first name not available) was crowned the 2025 Bubba two-man captain’s choice champion after carding rounds of 61 and 63 to finish 20-under and win by one stroke over Vanderpool and Whitmire.

2023 champions Shane Hise and Richie Patrick (15-under) won flight two, Corey Antweiler and Chris Paysour (14-under) shot 61 on day two to win flight three, and Lovins/Clark (7-under) won flight four, while Jetter and Charles Jennings won closest-to-the-hole contests at the tourney.

Silver Creek’s next big event is the nine-hole Adult-Junior tournament on Sunday, April 27, and the club recently announced more details on its annual Ladies 9-hole Derby Scramble set for next Saturday, May 3.

The scramble is a fundraiser for Friends for Animals where Star Wars meets the Kentucky Derby with an 11 a.m. shotgun start. Teams of two players (handicap or average score required) will play three holes of regular stroke play followed by three holes of captain’s choice and three holes of alternate shot. Entry fee is $75 for non-members or $25 plus cart fee for members and includes golf, prizes, and appetizers and drinks after the round.

For information about more upcoming tournaments at Silver Creek, visit screekgolf.com or call the pro shop at 828-584-6911.

NCHSAA spring championship sites

The NCHSAA recently announced the sites for its 2025 spring sports championships.

The baseball championship series will be played May 30-31 at Burlington Athletic Stadium and Ting Stadium in Holly Springs. Which classifications will play where will be determined at a later date.

Championship events will be held the same two days in the sports of softball, girls soccer, and lacrosse. Duke and UNC-Greensboro will host softball, girls soccer for a second year remains at the Mecklenburg County SportsPlex at Matthews, and lacrosse will be held at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

Boys golf adds a new venue, Gates Four Golf and Country Club in Fayetteville, which will host the 3A classification on May 12-13. The 1A event will be contested at Longleaf Golf and Family Club, 2A at Pinehurst No. 6, and 4A at Pinehurst No. 2 (day one) and No. 8 (day two) the same two days.

Track takes place again at the Marcus T. Johnson Track at North Carolina A&T, with 1A and 3A on May 16 and 2A and 4A the following day.

And boys tennis starts the spring championship schedule May 9-10 with the individual event hosted by four different sites: 1A at Cary Tennis Park, 2A at Ting Park, 3A at Burlington Tennis Center, and 4A at Millbrook Exchange Tennis Center. The dual-team state championships are set for May 17 at Burlington Tennis Center.

The NCHSAA also recently released its 2025-26 sports calendar with first practice and playing dates, state playoff dates, and dead periods after the realignment process was finalized.

Fall sports practices get underway July 30, with first contests Aug. 11 (except Aug. 22 for football). Before then, dead periods this summer run from June 30-July 6 and July 21-27.

Morganton Rec summer adult softball registration

The Morganton Recreation Department is holding online signups for a summer adult softball league now through May 21.

A church league and an open league will both be offered, with games to be played throughout the month of June. Wooden bats will be used, and those interested must be 18 or older as of June 1, 2025.

Cost is $425 per team, with a league meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at Collett Street Recreation Center. The online registration form is available at tinyurl.com/4dcn27ej, while more information can be obtained by calling 828-438-5371 or sending an email to league director Jesse Bunton at jbunton@morgantonnc.gov.