WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2017
SPORTS
NC A&T has sights on HBCU crown in Celebration Bowl. Page B3
Money, time, energy essential for new Hurricanes ownership How Tom Dundon can re-energize hockey in the Triangle By Cory Lavalette North State Journal
JAMES GUILLORY | USA TODAY SPORTS
Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner celebrates with teammates after scoring at PNC Arena. There is an agreement in place for Peter Karmanos Jr. to sell a majority stake of the team to Tom Dundon.
RALEIGH — The question of who will be the next owner of the Carolina Hurricanes has been answered with the announcement that Dallas businessman Tom Dundon will — pending NHL approval — buy a majority stake of the team from Peter Karmanos Jr. Karmanos, long criticized by
supporters of the Hartford Whalers for moving the team to North Carolina three years after buying the franchise, seemingly got everything he wanted from the sale. Dundon will, according to Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman, buy 52 percent of the team for nearly $240 million, allowing Karmanos to remain a minority owner for a few years as he desired. Dundon would them have the option to buy the rest for a total of about $500 million. As Karmanos, the NHL and just about anyone informed of the facts of Carolina’s ownership situ-
ation already knew, the team will remain in the Triangle under Dundon’s ownership. So what can Dundon, 45, do to change the fortunes of a franchise that is tracking toward a ninth straight season outside of the playoffs and ranked at or near the bottom of the league in attendance the past few seasons? Win at all costs No, we’re not talking about pouring sugar into opponents’ gas tanks after the front end of backSee HURRICANES, page B3
the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT COLLEGE BASKETBALL
After loss, Duke falls to No. 5, UNC seventh Villanova is the new No. 1 after Duke lost at unranked Boston College on Saturday. The Blue Devils were a unanimous pick at the top spot the previous two weeks. Villanova, which received 41 of 65 first-place votes, is followed in the Top 25 by Michigan State, Wichita State, Duke and Arizona State. The Sun Devils, under thirdyear coach Bobby Hurley, received five first-place votes. The other 19 went to Michigan State. Rounding out this week’s top 10 are Miami, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Xavier.
Ball brothers sign with Lithuanian club Lavar Ball is taking two of his sons to play overseas in Lithuania. LiAngelo Ball, who left UCLA earlier this month without ever playing a game, and LaMelo Ball, who withdrew from high school in his junior season, signed one-year deals to play with the Lithuanian club Vytautas Prienai, multiple media outlets reported
BRETT FRIEDLANDER | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Wallace-Rose Hill defensive end Devon Harper celebrates with teammates after the Bulldogs won the NCHSAA 2A title over Reidsville 35-38 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.
Wallace-Rose Hill takes battle of champions
GOLF
Fans no longer able to call shots on rule violations Golf officials will no longer consider rules violations pointed out by fans watching tournaments on television, the United States Golf Association and R&A said on Monday. The two governing bodies said in a statement they would “discontinue any steps to facilitate or consider viewer call-ins as part of the rules decision process.”
SHAWN KREST | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Wiz Vaughn leaps for a fourth-down catch in New Hanover’s 27-17 win over A.C. Reynolds in the 3AA state title game.
NFL
NFL Network suspends three amid harrassment claims The NFL Network suspended Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and fellow analysts Heath Evans and Ike Taylor “pending an investigation” into allegations of sexual harassment and assault, the network announced. The allegations were made in a lawsuit by former NFL Network employee Jami Cantor, who sued NFL Enterprises in Los Angeles Superior Court in October. Former NFL Network executive Eric Weinberger, ex-NFL Network analyst Donovan McNabb and former NFL player Eric Davis were also named in the lawsuit. McNabb currently works for ESPN as a radio host while Davis works for ESPNLA Radio, although ESPN said in a statement that “McNabb and Davis will not appear on our networks as that investigation proceeds.”
and fortunate to have come out on top.” Both teams withstood the other’s best shot during a back-andforth game that saw Motsinger’s Bulldogs jump out to the early advantage when Javonte Williams broke off a 73-yard touchdown By Brett Friendlander run on the first play from scrimNorth State Journal mage. Williams, who committed CHAPEL HILL — It would to North Carolina on Sunday, finnormally be a clichè to say that ished with 207 rushing yards and both teams played like a champi- two touchdowns to earn MVP on, even in a game that actually honors for the second straight year. had a title on the line. Wallace-Rose Hill (14-1) exBut in the case of Saturday’s 2A high school football state final tended its advantage to 21-7 on the first of Desmond between Wallace-Rose Newkirk’s two touchHill and Reidsville, it’s down runs and a 97-yard an accurate descripinterception return by tion. “You got to Defensive MVP Quavion The Bulldogs from Basyden. The Bulldogs Duplin County came witness an into the game having unbelievable missed an opportunity to extend their lead late won the last three 1AA game in the half when quarcrowns before moving terback Michael Basden up in classification this because tripped coming out from year. The Rams from you saw two center on a fourth-and-2 Rockingham County play at the Reidsville 12. were also defending champions The defensive stand champions, having go head-toseemed to energize the brought home the Rams, who battled back 2A title in 2016 while head.” into a tie by scoring in running up a 31-game the final minute before winning streak. — Kevin halftime and again on the It was a matchup Motsinger, opening possession after that took overtime the break, with running to decide, with Wal- Wallace-Rose back Travion Canada lace-Rose Hill earning Hill coach getting into the end zone an epic 35-28 victory at Kenan Stadium that validat- both times. “You can’t look back, you have ed the championship pedigree of to look forward,” Reidsville coach both teams. “You got to witness an unbe- Jimmy Teague said of his team’s lievable game because you saw attitude after falling behind. “We two champions go head-to-head,” were only down one touchdown Bulldogs first-year coach Kevin (at halftime), so we knew we had Motsinger said. “How fitting that it went overtime. We’re blessed See BULLDOGS, page B4
NCHSAA 2A title game featured two defending champions and took overtime to decide
Smith adds title to New Hanover’s long, interconnected history Wilmington school that spawned Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jurgensen, takes 3AA crown
By Shawn Krest North State Journal DURHAM — In 2015, when Kevin Motsinger resigned as New Hanover head coach, the school planned to call on a familiar name to help lead the coaching search. Earl Smith had coached the Wildcats in 2001 and 2002, leading the team to the playoffs in his second year and won more games in two years (11) than New Hanover had managed in the previ-
ous seven (six). Smith returned to Raleigh, where he rebuilt the program at Wake Forest, but he was still on New Hanover’s radar when it was time to find someone to lead a coaching search. Rather than finding a new head coach, however, Smith called his own number and applied for the job. Smith’s roots in the area were apparent. Motsinger had played for Smith. “I think he was in elementary school when I started as head coach,” Smith joked. The man Motsigner had replaced at New Hanover, John Fitz, had been Smith’s defensive coordinator. See SMITH, page B4