South Lenoir wrestling completed one of its busiest stretches of the season last week, competing in three events over seven days: the Paul T. Mills Jr. Memorial Invitational, a conference dual at Pamlico County, and the East Central 3A/4A Championship. The Blue Devils logged multiple placers, six total pins in championship competition, and more than 20 individual match wins during the week.

GCMS jumped out early and held off a Grifton rally to earn a 45–31 win, improving to 11-1 overall and 10-0 in conference play.
Submitted by GCMS – Steven Criste

Greene Central dropped a heartbreaking 68-67 loss to Southwest Edgecombe in the boys game for its first home defeat of the season before the Lady Rams suffered a 56-23 loss, making Friday’s showdown at rival Farmville Central even more critical.

North Lenoir’s boys overcame the absence of leading scorer Julian Veal to earn a 65–54 conference win and snap a three-game skid, while the girls saw a strong start fade in a 52–30 loss as North Johnston pulled away late.

Kinston and Farmville Central split an Eastern Plains Conference doubleheader Tuesday night, with the Vikings’ girls pulling away for a convincing win before the Jaguars’ boys held off a late Kinston rally to remain unbeaten.

Greene County Middle School girls basketball stayed undefeated with a dominant 37–7 win over Chicod, improving to 11–0 overall and 9–0 in conference play.

Check out this week's NNS schedule

Here are my five takes from the Brandon Ingram Invitational: elite guard play, championship-level programs, hard-earned lessons, visible growth, and a community that continues to show up in a big way.

North Lenoir cheerleaders captured the Three Rivers 4A Conference Championship at North Pitt, finishing ahead of Washington after a performance marked by confidence, dedication, and months of hard work.

Kinston used a dominant second half and big nights from Jamarion Washington and Keyshawn Herring to pull away from Goldsboro for an 80-67 win in the finale of the Brandon Ingram Invitational.

North Lenoir nearly rallied all the way back but fell 80-77 to Swansboro in the Brandon Ingram Invitational, led by Julian Veal’s 33-point performance in a game that showcased the Lancers’ resilience less than 24 hours after a conference loss.

Kinston used a strong second half and balanced scoring to pull away from Greene Central on Friday night for a 63-51 home win.

South Lenoir struggled at the free-throw line, missing nine attempts in the fourth quarter, and fell 49-45 to Ashley at the Brandon Ingram Invitational despite a 16-point performance from Keyon Jones.

GCMS defeated Chicod 52–25 to move to 9–0 in conference play, clinching first place and home-court advantage in the Division 2 playoffs.

Goldsboro handed Kinston its first loss of the season with a 54-36 win in the opening game of the Brandon Ingram Invitational, snapping a drought that dated back to 2018 and marking just the program’s second victory over the Vikings in the past 25 years.

Kinston pulled away with a big second quarter to defeat Greene Central 69-38, extending its winning streak in the series to 29 straight games while improving to 11-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

Kinston entered the night ranked No. 3 in the 3A RPI and played like it, owning an average margin of victory of nearly 21 points in its seven wins while piling up five victories by 20 or more. A blistering 28-point first quarter and another lockdown defensive finish only added to a growing résumé built on separation, not survival.

Kinston’s girls basketball team improved to 10-0 for the second straight season with a 77-18 win over South Lenoir, continuing a dominant start that has them firmly in the state title conversation. Through 10 games, the Vikings are winning by an average of 34.2 points per contest while sitting No. 1 in the 3A state rankings and RPI.