Hendersonville – I can rejoice over a bounty of exciting local sports reporting memories since 1988.
I was the sports editor and city beat reporter for the Transylvania Times in 1988-94. I wrote non-sports and still took photos for the Hendersonville Times-News in 1994-2001. Since January of 2002, I’ve covered sports and many other topics for the local Tribune Papers. When the Trib consolidated four papers into one, it expanded my public high school sports coverage from four to 11. Whew!
Showdown with Shuler
A crowded football showdown was in 1990. Swain Maroon Devil Heath Shuler led Swain to victory at Hendersonville (HHS), en route to a third consecutive 1A state title. The 6-foot-3 quarterback was also a DB, punted, and returned punts.
Shuler did it all — much like versatile 6-2 West Henderson receiver Truitt Manuel does. They are generational talents. Manuel caught a WNC-record 27 TD passes from Lukas Kachilo in 2022. Manuel is the state’s reigning 3A baseball pitcher of the year.
I further covered Shuler and then Peyton Manning as Tennessee Vols quarterbacks. Shuler was such a shy Maroon Devil that he kept on his helmet while interviewed on TV. But after UT games, he’d stand on a locker room bench and hold court with reporters. Shuler was the third pick in the 1994 NFL draft. He was our congressman in 2007-13, as a moderate “Blue Dog” Democrat.
The highest-drafted TCR Ram ballplayer ever, Cameron Maybin, was a top-ten pick in 2005. He won a World Series ring in 2017. Maybin announces for the MLB TV network.
QB Ben Johnson helped A.C. Reynolds win a state title in 2002, my first year with the Tribune. Johnson is the genius offensive playmaker for the upstart Detroit Lions. ACR alum Rico Dowdle is a Dallas Cowboy running back.
Erwin alum Damien Ferguson, who coaches Warrior QBs, ranks 40th among N.C. public school QBs in career passing yards with 6,582 in 2015 and ‘16. Second on the list is current pro QB Sam Howell from Sun Valley. His final two playoff seasons, in ’17 and ’18, ended with losses at Reynolds.
HHS Bearcat Vincent Neclos led high schools nationwide in 1998 with 3,380 rushing yards — second-most ever among N.C. backs. Neclos is the rising rapper “V.” Brevard’s Manny Deshauteurs neared 3,000 rushing yards in ‘98.
My all-time favorite receiver to photograph split-second remains Bearcat Tykel Landrum (Class of ‘18). I dubbed it a “Tykel Special” whenever he’d face the oncoming pass, leap high and far backward, and catch a lon gpass.
I’ve taken last-second football photos before avoiding collisions, since in 1989 when fastest Brevard Blue Devil Raymond Green caught a game-winning TD catch. He blazed through the end zone right at me, just missing me.
Champion Coaches
A career highlight was in this past summer, when covering two state champion baseball squads in their finals at the same site. Fiery Coach Eric Filipek’s T.C. Roberson won the 4A state title. Coach Jackie Corn’s West Falcons won it all in 3A.
The many impressive football head coaches include Reynolds’ majestic Shane Laws and his DC Bryan Craig. I covered Coach Danny Wilkins’ Asheville Cougars’ state title run in 2005. His QB Crezdon Butler (Clemson; NFL 2010-16) and RB Johnny White (UNC, NFL ‘11-12) both played ACC and pro ball.
Edneyville native David Gentry won nine stte football titles for Murphy. Kenny Ford won WHC titles in nearly half (14 of 29) of his Owen seasons. His league rival was Polk’s jovial Bruce Ollis. Ford’s first QB, Brad Johnson in 1986, tossed two TD passes for Tampa Bay to win Super Bowl 37 in 2003. TB Jager Gardner rushed for 2,578 then 2,776 yards in 2005.
I interviewed two other Owen greats. One is Roy Williams, while he coached UNC hoops. The TCR alumnus once coached Owen. The other is seven-foot UNC and NBA hoops star Brad Daugherty. He co-owns a NASCAR Cup race team.
Legendary local basketball coaches include West’s Rick Wood (1989-2006), HHS’ Bobby Wilkins who won state titles in ’87 and ’92 and current HC Marvin Featherstone, and TCR’s Richie Sizemore and now Billy Roberts. Mark Harris is Enka’s prolific wrestling coach.
Chappell’s Legacy
Brett Chappell is among few who I regularly covered as a player and a coach. Brett set the WNC rushing yard record (of 5,296) as a gritty Rosman runner 30 years ago, playing for Dan Essenberg. Hard-charging himself, Brett coached East Henderson to league titles in half (four) of his eight seasons through 2012. In ’08, he won 13 games and reached round four. He rivaled B.J. Laughter’s Bearcats and Paul Whitaker’s Falcons.
Chappell was Pisgah’s head coach for the past 11 years, but is moving on. I saw Brett on Dec. 16, when he coached Shrine Bowl receivers.
‘Super Girls’
Hailey Cook coaches volleyball at her alma mater, HHS. She was the state’s overall female athlete of the year in 2013. She won team state titles in volleyball and outdoor track, and eight individual track state titles such as in shotput. Her father, Mark Cook, has coached HHS baseball and football.
The very first future coach I encountered is current East Henderson Lady Eagle basketball head coach Tammy (Gilliam) George. She was an East student in a class I substitute taught in early 1988, when she led the Eagles to the 3A state title game as a junior. She was a premier three-point shooter for UNC-Charlotte. The Lady Eagles won the 3A state title in 2000, behind point guard Katie Easler Bradley and big Nikki Fauntleroy.
Volleyball “master blasters” include West’s Youngblood sisters, and HHS’ Pyle sisters and later Bailey Hunter and Cook. Dynastic coaches are North Henderson’s Sue (Dalton) Moon, and Jan Stanley and now her daughter Tiffany White Lowrance at West.
Karlyn Pickens was a top-three recruit nationwide as a sleek 6-1 softball pitcher for North Buncombe. I enjoyed covering the Lady Hawks’ state runner-up season of 2022, when All-American Pickens fanned more than 400 batters. She starred in pitching for UT Lady Vols.
Another multi-sport six-foot star with immediate college success is Asheville’s Evangelia “E” Paulk, in Wofford basketball. The “Sleek Greek” is among national leaders in rebounding and “double doubles.” Enka alum Emily Carver (16 PPG), an App State junior, was recently named her league’s weekly MVP for scoring 28 and 27 points. She averaged 27 points as a Sugar Jet junior.
‘Bryson City’
West Henderson has two current “super girls.” Marianne Maxon is a soccer scoring sensation, with 57 and 41 goals in the past two seasons.
West volleyball star Emma Bryson, a Georgia-bound 6-3 junior, and her point guard brother Ben (Class of 2020) have athletic parents. Their mother April Sorrells Bryson played on West’s state title volleyball squads in 1991 and ‘92. Ben is first and his father Joey Bryson is second in Falcon career points. Ben leads in assists and steals. Joey is third in rebounding. I took photos of Joey pouring in three-pointers in a 1995 Christmas tourney. Joey coached West boys’ hoops in 2016-20, while April coached the Lady Falcons in 2017-18.
I covered Brevard WR Jeff Swangim, and now his son Zeb who is a go-getter in TCR baseball and football. Rosman’s Chris Collins was drafted by the MLB Pirates in 1994. He’s now Owen’s A.D.
In tennis, Hendersonville native Kim Kessaris was a pro in 1987-90, while she was ages 14-16.
Recent soccer all-staters include ACR goalie Sean Green, 50-goal scorer Kendall Davis on Owen’s 2022 state champs, and HHS’ Cooper King. Another Bearcat, Bryan Aguirre, led HHS to state titles in 2009 and ’10.
NH Senior Rock
I made an impromptu “assist” to NHHS sharpshooter Chris VanLandingham, when he was the first person ever to write on North Henderson’s new senior rock. The Knights (18-11; 7-4) had just upset arch-rival West on Feb. 8, 2007. Chris, who’d lead the entire state in scoring, was a junior. Another 2008 North grad, big Morgan McMinn, led females statewide in scoring average.
NHHS’ senior rock at the lot’s edge. With fans gone, Chris was alone in darkness. He messily spray-painted the 59-53 score on the rock’s sides. I shined my car headlights on the rock, so he could retry and write more legibly.
I was there when Scott Rhodes’ Knights scored an emotional baseball win over rival West. Star Seth Williams started in right field for UNC in four College World Series, in 2005-08. Rhodes is the county-wide A.D.
I thank so many coaches, players, and fans for such pleasant memories in various local sports.