Kinston
Kinston, NC · Sports
The Daily Reflector
ECU football: Aggressive play-calling helps ECU win 17-9 over Temple
East Carolina running back Ashton Gray took the direct snap from a wildcat formation, then plowed forward for a five-yard gain. It was a late fourth-down conversion that sealed ECU’s 17-9 home win Saturday over visiting American Conference foe Temple. For Pirates coach Blake Harrell, it was the last aggressive play-call during an afternoon full of them. They were a direct result of back-to-back, what-if overtime losses. The second-year head man was determined not to let an eerie Halloween matchup follow the same script from two straight Thursdays of disappointment. “I think the last two weeks … [were] maybe a little conservative. And today, we wanted to take chances and let our guys know we’re out there to win the game,” Harrell said after his club improved to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in American play. A 13-play scoring drive in which ECU pulled ahead 7-0 on Gray’s first-quarter rush TD was the result of taking chances. Facing a fourth-and-1 from the Owls’ 20, Harrell turned down three points and allowed Gray to pick up the yard. On the ensuing special teams play, Harrell took another chance. He called a surprise onside kick that was initially ruled a recovery by Pirates
The Daily Reflector
ECU Athletics opens Isley indoor practice facility
East Carolina University Athletics on Friday opened the $24.5 million Isley Indoor Performance Center, a 90,000-square-foot, multi-sport indoor training facility. The mammoth building off Charles Boulevard between Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and Clark-LeClair Stadium will offer a dedicated practice space to meet the training needs of ECU athletic teams and provide an area to host large gatherings, the university said. It was funded by the Pirate Club with help from large gifts by the Isley Family, Bill Clark Homes and the Wornom Family. The Isley name is on the building, and the field inside is named after the Wornoms. Chancellor Philip Rogers said when construction was approved by trustees in September 2024 that the center is a critical and important step in realizing a long-awaited initiative for the athletics department. “It’s really exciting, and obviously it’s going to impact all of our sports teams, and certainly our football program,” Athletic Director Jon Gilbert said in April 2025 when officials broke ground for the facility. “But if you look across all the teams that are mostly outdoors, they’re going to have the opportunity in inclement weather to be able to come inside. So I see all of our athletes training in here, and
Rocky Mount Telegram
WNCT
Isley Indoor Performance Center officially opens at ECU
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Today is the opening of the Isley Indoor Performance Center at ECU’s campus. WNCT’s Sports Director Brian Bailey was at the facility that is expected to be used soon. ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club launched construction of the Isley Indoor Performance Center on April 24 as part of the ongoing […]
Rocky Mount Telegram
wcti12.com
Wallace-Rose Hill claims Swine Valley conference crown over James Keenan soccer
Wallace-Rose Hill scored four goals in the second half to beat James Kenan 4-3 and claim the Swine Valley Conference boys soccer title. James Kenan took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but the defending 3A state champion Bulldogs rallied after halftime. Wallace-Rose Hill improved to 10-0-1 in conference play and finished the regular season as league champion. The teams await their postseason seeds, with playoff games set to begin Monday.
WWAY NewsChannel 3
Rocky Mount Telegram
Mount Olive Tribune
James Kenan holds off Midway’s late push for 3-2 victory
The James Kenan Tigers came out strong against the Midway Raiders, scoring twice in the first half to build an early lead before holding on for a 3-2 victory. James Kenan opened the match with possession and looked to establish its offense early. Midway earned a free kick after a penalty, but the attempt sailed over the crossbar.
jocosports.com
Corinth Holders decides to forfeit tonight’s game at Millbrook
Corinth Holders has decided to forfeit tonight’s season finale at Millbrook, according to multiple reports. There has been no official comment from the school or Johnston County Public Schools as of yet, and this story will be updated if a statement is released. We’ve have obtained a copy of...