Photo courtesy of Ferrum College
(Editor’s note: We’ll catch up with softball and lacrosse players later this week. This column was already nearly 800 words without softball)
Braden Homsey: On the verge of setting the Ferrum College record for most career wins, Homsey won the 197-pound championship of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference at Winchester, VA last weekend. Homsey scored a technical fall over Jaden Murk of Southern Virginia University. In the championship match, Homsey defeated Ryan John Sedovy of Washington & Lee University 3-1. Ferrum University will host the Division III National Championships on March 10-11 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA.
Conner Crabtree: On his Facebook page, Crabtree announced that he would end his college basketball career after undergoing surgery on his right pinky finger. It’ the fifth time he has undergone surgery. Crabtree had already missed five games for the Richmond Spiders this season because of an ankle injury. Crabtree has played for the Richmond Spiders since January 4. He played in seven games this season and scored five points. After a stint at Hargrave Military Academy, Crabtree started his college career with Tulane under former Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. He averaged 7.1 points per game while appearing in 30 games with 15 starts. He transferred to Richmond in 2020. In his sophomore year, he appeared in four games, averaging 4.8 points per game. He fractured his right foot in late December 2020 and missed the rest of the season. In his junior year, he averaged 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 35 games. Crabtree was the leader for an Orange team that won the 2016 Eastern Guilford Holiday Invitational Tournament, the last time the Panthers won any basketball tournament. He was also the leading scorer for Orange in his senior year when they won the Big 8 Regular Season Championship and reached the state quarterfinals of the 3A State Tournament.
Joey McMullin: The Sandhills Community College men’s basketball team finished regular season play with a 110-88 win over Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, VA on Saturday afternoon. McMullin scored 19 points. Sandhills won the Region X Regular Season Championship with a 6-0 league record. The Flyers are 26-3 overall. McMullin went 6-of-13 from the field and added nine rebounds and two assists. Sandhills edged Blue Lights College 100-99 in Pinehurst on February 11. McMullin was honored during Sophomore Day. In a dramatic win, the Flyers reeled off an 11-0 run to win its 12th straight game. McMullin scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds. He shot 7-of-11 from the field.
Joey Berini: Now a junior, Berini started twice for the #11 East Carolina baseball team in its season-opening weekend series over George Washington. In ECU’s 9-5 win over the Colonials in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Berini went 0-for-2 with a walk. He started at second base. On Sunday, Berini went 2-for-4 with an RBI single as the Pirates swamped the Colonials 20-5.
Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team has opened the season with seven consecutive wins. Pitt opened the year with a 9-0 win over Camp Community College. Walker started at first base and went 0-for-4. Walker went 0-for-2 as the Bulldogs whipped Bryant & Stratton Colley 15-1 in the latter game of a doubleheader at Trant Field in Virginia Beach, VA. Pitt defeated Camp Community College 19-11 on February 15. Walker entered the game as a reserve and went 1-for-3 with a double. Last weekend, the Bulldogs swept Richard Bland Community College in a three-game series. Walker played in a reserve role in the opening 5-2 win. In the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, Walker had his biggest game of the season. He hit a three-run homer in the 6th inning to put the Bulldogs ahead 7-2. Walker finished the day 2-for-3 with four RBIs. On Sunday, Pitt completed the weekend sweep with a 7-2 victory. Walker went 1-for-3 with an RBI single that opened the scoring in the 2nd inning.
Davis Horton: Horton, the 2021 Big 8 Conference Player of the Year as a catcher for Orange, is already starting as a designated hitter during his freshman season for Rockingham Community College. In his first game with the Eagles, Horton went 1-for-3 with a double as Rockingham defeated Patrick & Henry 5-2 on February 4. Horton went 0-for-4 on February 5, which Patrick & Henry won 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, Horton went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, but the Patriots defeated the Eagles 15-5. On February 11 & 12, Guilford Technical Community College swept a two-game series from Rockingham. The Titans won the opening game 10-1. Horton went 0-for-2 with a walk. Horton had an RBI single and went 1-for-3 in the second game of the series, which Guilford won 11-3. On February 15, Rockingham split a doubleheader against Pro 5 Academy. The Eagles won the opening game 7-5 in nine innings. Horton went 0-for-5 with an RBI. Pro 5 Academy took the second game 10-3. Horton, who started as catcher, went 0-for-3 with a walk.