Today’s Sandhills Scoreboard
Pinecrest, Union Pines lacrosse teams earn dubs
In lacrosse action, Pinecrest swept Terry Sanford yesterday. The girls blanked the visiting Bulldogs, 19 to nothing while the boys edged the visitors 14-4. Union Pines boys finding success of their own, downing Gray’s Creek in their home-opener, 18-2.
Lily Hensley gets the out at first during Pinecrest’s game against Western Harnett Monday, March 9.
In softball action, Pinecrest girls fell to Western Harnett 7-6 on the road. The Patriots had the lead 6-4 headed into the bottom of the sixth when the hosts rallied, putting up 3 runs for the go-ahead. Leah Gordon led Pinecrest with 3 hits and an RBI. The team scored 6 runs off 11 hits with 2 errors.
And in tennis action, Union Pines’ mens shutout Southern Lee, 9-0.
In area baseball scores, Grace Christian defeated Covenant Day, 11-5; Lee Christian plowed Iron Academy 23-0; Western Harnett topped Seventy-First, 16-6;
Other area softball scores include: Hoke County blanked Red Springs, 11-0; and Richmond downed Montgomery Central, 5-2; Purnell Swett got by Jack Britt, 7-5
Boozer named PoY, ACC tourney action ready
College hoops is starting conference tournament action across the NCAA, with the ACC starting today. No. 7 NC State will enjoy a first round bye and is set to play tomorrow, while UNC and Duke are on 2nd round byes, including No. 2 Virginia and No. 3 Miami for quarterfinals action that starts Thursday.
Freshman Cameron Boozer was named the ACC Player of the Year, Maliq Brown took defensive and sixth man awards and Jon Scheyer earned his first ACC Coach of the Year award after No. 1 Duke went 17-1 in ACC play – last time Duke earned ACC CoY was Coach K in 2000.
Both Boozer and UNC’s Caleb Wilson were named to the ALL-ACC First Team.
2025-26 ACC AWARDS
**Player of the Year** – Cameron Boozer, Fr., F, Duke; **Defensive Player of the Year –** Maliq Brown, Sr., F, Duke; **Rookie of the Year** – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke; **Most Improved Player** – Juke Harris, So., G, Wake Forest; **Sixth Man of the Year** – Maliq Brown, Sr., F, Duke; **Coach of the Year** – Jon Scheyer, Duke
2025-26 ALL-ACC TEAM
FIRST TEAM: Name, School, Points: Cameron Boozer, Duke, 425; Caleb Wilson, North Carolina, 410; Ebuka Okorie, Stanford, 356; Malik Reneau, Miami, 344; Thijs De Ridder, Virginia, 302
SECOND TEAM: Boopie Miller, SMU, 293, Juke Harris, Wake Forest, 237; Henri Veesaar, North Carolina, 215; Tre Donaldson, Miami, 204; Ryan Conwell, Louisville, 201
THIRD TEAM: Isaiah Evans, Duke, 151; Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville, 147; Quadir Copeland, NC State, 98; Robert McCray V, Florida State, 90; Dai Dai Ames, California, 51
HONORABLE MENTION: Jaron Pierre Jr., SMU, 45; Donnie Freeman, Syracuse, 36; RJ Godfrey, Clemson, 32; Amani Hansberry, Virginia Tech, 29; Seth Trimble, North Carolina, 27; Patrick Ngongba II, Duke, 26; Justin Pippen, California, 18; Darrion Williams, NC State, 16; Jalen Haralson, Notre Dame, 15; B.J. Edwards, SMU, 15
Panthers address defensive woes, reported deals for defense
With teams permitted to negotiate and agree upon deals with free agents during unofficial start of free agency, the Panthers look to address some defensive woes, dishing out a $120 million, four-year, negotiations with former Eagles edge rusher Jaelen Phillips and also acquiring former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd to a three-year, $45 million contract.
Panthers also deal with free-agent quarterback Kenny Pickett to a one-year agreement worth up to $7.5 million as backup to Bryce Young. Andy Dalton, the 15-year league veteran assuming to be 3rd.