Top sports stories of 2008 ballot
Here is the ballot for what you think were the top sports stories from 2008 that affected The Free Press coverage area. You may vote for 15, and from all the votes cast, the top 10 readers’ selections will appear in the New Year’s Day edition of The Free Press, along with the “experts’” picks. You may vote via comments, or e-mail them to rherman@freedomenc.com. Voting ends at 5 p.m. on Monday. Thanks and enjoy.
Top sports stories of 2008 ballot
KHS star Reggie Bullock makes verbal commitment to
KHS hires Battle Holley to lead its football program
Jason Wade returns home to lead KHS baseball team
KHS head boys’ basketball coach Wells Gulledge earns 200th career win
SL teacher Joseph Noble wins state disc golf title
Quinton Coples selects UNC over
Pirates sign 18 to 2008 football season, a season in which the Pirates won the C-USA title and a trip to a bowl game
Helana Davis’ buzzer-beater gives
GC’s Jim Bob Bryant leaves school for
10 area prep basketball teams makes state playoffs
KHS, SL, JS boys all reach regionals
SL boys reach regionals for first time
KHS downs Trinity 60-58 for state 3A championship
SL football coach Casey Corey resigns
APA’s Doug Parker wins state swimming title
SL baseball begins season 9-0
KHS’ Bo Ingram, Reggie Bullock named to the AP’s All-State teams
KHS’ Wells Gulledge named AP’s N.C. Coach of the Year
KHS’ Bo Ingram named AP’s Co-State Player of the Year
KHS’ Bo Ingram named MVP of state All-Star game
SL wins its fourth straight EC2A baseball title
Kayla Cole leads SL softball to another EC2A title and its 41st league win in 42 games
NL baseball team completes unbeaten run through EP2A for third straight time
LCC baseball ties school wins record, wins 20 straight, and 32 of 33 games, en route to fifth straight Region X title
ECU men’s hoop penalized after poor grades
Kevin Wilson hired as SL’s new football coach
Jones Senior makes baseball playoffs after winning just one game from 2003-07
Bethel Christian wins first state baseball title since 1999
Kinston-native Leo Hart inducted into N.C. Sports Hall of Fame
SL baseball advances to fourth round of state 2A playoffs
LCC makes its second trip to NJCAA D-II World Series
NL baseball falls short of state 2A title series for first time since 2004
Tremaine Miller, the first of two former KHS standouts, signs to play basketball for LCC
SL softball makes state 2A double-elimination tournament in
LCC baseball finishes as runner-up in national championship to LSU-Eunice, setting a school record for wins (54) in the process
SL softball wins school’s first 2A East Regional title in win over West Stokes
SL softball comes up one win short of state championship
SL boys’ basketball coach Jimmy Smith ponders retirement, but returns
GC names Erik Lynch new boys’ basketball coach, only a week after David Laton resigns
KHS girls’ track team wins first EC3A title in school history
Free Press SE Bryan Hanks leaves post after six years to become paper’s Content Editor
GC’s newest football coach, Ken Grantham, selected as an assistant for the 2009 East-West football game
All
K-Tribe first baseman Beau Mills named Carolina League MVP
K-Tribe misses playoffs for first time since 2000
ECU routs No. 8 West Virginia, the highest-ranked team the Pirates had ever beaten
APA head coach Bill Rowe decides to retire after 29 years at the end of the 2008 season
ECU running back Jonathan Williams is suspended after second arrest
APA head coach Bill Rowe leads the Patriots to their 13th straight playoff appearance
Rowe ends prolific career with a 169-113-5 record
KHS tops
A-G wins
JS earns CP1A crown
KHS ends 2008 prep football season on historic note — first outright conference title, first 10-win season, school record 414 points scored
A-G, JS both reach East Regional finals
JS makes first trip to regional finals in school history
KHS boys’ basketball wins the Trusted Choice Tournament of Champions in
ECU wins C-USA title game for first time in 32 years
Bishop O’Connell (
ECU accepts bid to Liberty Bowl in


