Baserunner Zack Poe slides across home plate as the ball goes sailing over his head in rec league action last week.  Catcher C.J. Potter gets set to stop the ball on the play.  Poe scored the first run of the game on the play.

The North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association released its 2004 All-State baseball team last week and Chatham County was well represented.

Benji Johnson of Northwood High School, and Treiston Burnette and Matthew Hinson of Jordan-Matthews High School all were named to the All-State squad.

In Pittsboro, the honor is nothing new to Johnson. The recent graduate of Northwood was tabbed 2A All-State in 2003 after a junior campaign in which he hit .444 and tied school records with 10 homers and 30 RBIs.

Johnson, who’s signed with UNC-Chapel Hill, saw his numbers decline a bit in 2004. It was nothing more than a sign of respect from opposing teams.

While the right-handed slugger compiled a strong .362 batting average which included five doubles, three homers and 18 RBIs, Johnson was pitched around the entire season. The proof came in the 25 walks Johnson was issued, which raised his overall on-base percentage to a staggering .605.

Pieces are finally beginning to fall in place for two county sports programs – a not a minute too soon.

The Northwood Chargers have found a new coach for their basketball program in Brian Harrington, and the Chtham Central Bears have done likewise for its football team, hiring former Asheboro Assistant, Mark Hoover.

The two scenarios are entirely different in ways more than just the surface the two sports play on.

For Hoover, taking over a program that hasn’t won a game in a couple of years, starts at the bottom.

With Hoover being the fourth coach in as many seasons for the Bears, the ability to bring stability to an unstable situation may turn out to be his biggest asset.

"Consistency will bring improvement," said Hoover. "I have made a commitment to be here. I told the freshmen at a team meeting that I plan to be here when they’re seniors."

Words like that have to be encouraging for the CC community.

Keeping the same man at the helm is the first step to bringing the Bears out of the shadows during the fall.

Hoover is from Warren, PA, and a graduate from Hiram College in Ohio.

ASHEBORO – In a double-header that lasted past 11:00 p.m. here on Tuesday night, the United Eagles swept of pair of contests, 5-1 and 25-12, from the Chatham County Cizzlars in Greensboro Palomino League action at Scott Rush Field.

The losses added to what is now a four-game losing streak for Chatham County which stands at 4-5 overall.

In the opener, the Cizzlars missed several opportunities to add to a 1-0 lead which the locals had grabbed in the third when Cole Hudson ripped a two-out single to center, moved to second and third on wild pitches, and scored an error by UE shortstop Daniel Bourossa.

Chatham County put runners at second and third with no outs in the fourth after Jonathan Moody and Jordy Hadley reached on leadoff singles and the Eagles committed another error.