Today's Sports

Two Calabash golfers had top-four finishes in the Carolinas Young Amateur Jan. 6 at the Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst.

Zack Byrd, a Coastal Carolina University student, shot 72-70—142 on the 7,088-yard, par-72 course and finished tied for second. He had the best second round of the 65 golfers. He won $137.50.

Drew Weaver, a senior at Virginia Tech, shot 65-71—136 for the six-stroke victory. He won $200.

I am happy to ring in the New Year with the good news the giant bluefin tuna have finally shown up off our coast.

The season for this fishery typically starts in December and runs through January. Last season it was very slow off our area, but this season we had our hopes high. Much of the commercial netting of menhaden (giant bluefin tuna’s main food source) has been haulted off the Carolinas, and all indications were there was going to be much more baitfish presence this season.

While covering the Southwest Brunswick Junior American Legion baseball season, I noticed one of the baserunners hardly ever got caught stealing. I told manager Mike Alderson how impressed I was with this ballplayer’s speed, and Alderson said, “You should see Ryan Hill.”

I had been a sportswriter at this newspaper for a few weeks and did not know Ryan Hill. That changed last fall.

West senior John Mendoza is county player of the year in soccer. West coach Tripp Smith is the county coach of the year.

The sports staffs of the The Beacon and The Pilot selected players on the basis of recommendations from coaches, conference honors and performance throughout the season.

Mendoza, a forward, scored 18 goals and had eight assists playing against some of the toughest competition in the state. Coaches noticed: The N.C. Soccer Coaches Association selected Mendoza to the Class 3-A All-State team in addition to the Region 4 Class 3-A team.