May 24—HENDERSONVILLE — Thirteenth-seeded Oak Grove defeated third-seeded West Henderson 5-2 on Tuesday at West Henderson in the first game of the NCHSAA 3A West regional baseball championship series.

The Grizzlies took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with a chance to advance to the state championship series at home tonight at 7.

Jake Smith had a bases-loaded single that scored two. Bo Tiller homered to drive in another two, and Cam Sharpe doubled in a run for Oak Grove (19-9). Jarred Lindholm, Cale Walters and Dawson Shelton pitched for the Grizzlies.

NCISAA ALL-STATE ATHLETES HONORED

HIGH POINT — Over a dozen area athletes have been selected NCISAA All-State, the association announced this week following the conclusion of the spring season.

Here are the honorees:

Baseball — Westchester Country Day's Josh Hammond, Bryce Hooker and Tate Vogler in 2A; High Point Christian's Trace Aufderhar, Jake Dunlap, Yates Sikes and Dylan Story; Wesleyan Christian's Sawyer Black and Hudson Lance;

Girls soccer — Westchester Country Day's Anna Beth Merritt;

Softball — High Point Christian's Hailey Allred, Blakely Bowman, Maci Burkhart, Paisley Dixon, Lexi Hall and Mary Douglas Hayworth.

FUSION TEAM WINS STATE CUP

WILSON — The 2008 NC Fusion HPJ Gold boys soccer team captured the United State Youth Soccer U15 State Cup championship this weekend at J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex in Wilson.

The club team, which features players from High Point, Jamestown, Greensboro and Asheboro, won all five of its matches — highlighted by a 5-4 win in overtime against Wesley Chapel Weddington Athletic Association in the championship Sunday.

With the championship victory, the team, coached by head coach Billy Koontz and assistant coach Millicent Mills, advanced to the Southern Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on June 23-29.