17 AND COUNTING: South Point seeks outright title Tuesday night

BELMONT - A year ago, South Point High had to win its last five Big South 3A/4A Conference games - and get some help from its rivals - to share the league title with Forestview.

With six players who got full-time or part-time starting experience returning to this year's team, the Red Raiders wanted to make sure they took care of their own destiny all season long.

Tuesday night at 7, when South Point visits Forestview, the Red Raiders can clinch an outright league title nearly two weeks before the end of the regular season.

"We had to rely on somebody else to lose last year," said ace right-handed pitcher Weston Lawing, who has an area-best seven pitching victories (7-1 record) this season. "This year, want to win it on our own."

The surprise is that South Point is a youthful team with only one senior starter in returning starting catcher Lincoln Willis. But Willis, juniors Lawing, Dariel Rogers and Ryan Huneycutt and sophomores Derek Treffinger, Jordan Edgerton and Spencer Wiles gained valuable experience during last season's 20-10 season in which the Red Raiders advanced to the N.C. 3A Western finals.

"You knew they had Lawing and he'd be a good anchor for their pitching staff," said Ashbrook coach Guy Spader, whose team lost 7-0 to South Point and Lawing on Friday. "And they had a lot of kids back from last year with a lot of experience. They've played more consistent than anybody else in our league. That's why they're unbeaten in conference play."

Shortstop Huneycutt has led the offense with a .448 average, followed by outfielders Treffinger (.361) and Dariel Rogers (.308). Lawing is complemented on the pitching staff by sophomore left-hander Jeffery Springs (5-0).

Lineberger said he used last year's challenge after starts of 0-1, 2-2 and 4-3 in conference play to do better this season.

"We had to scrap and scramble so much that we wanted to make things different this year," Lineberger said. "And we want to keep getting better as we head into the playoffs. But we have high expectations. In order to do what we want, we've got to keep improving."

Lawing was confident his team would be able to defend its league title.

"I'm not surprised because I know we've got a lot of talent," Lawing said. "But we're not satisfied. And we know we need to keep working to accomplish everything we want to accomplish."

A full house?
South Point clinched at least a share of its 17th regular-season conference title with Friday's home victory over Ashbrook. Here's a list of the years in which the Red Raiders have won championships.
1972 (Southwestern Conference title)
1973 (Southwestern Conference title)
1974 (Southwestern East division title)
1976 (Southwestern East division title)
1977 (Southwestern East division title)
1978 (Southwestern East division title)
1981 (Southwestern East co-division title)
1982 (Southwestern East division title)
1983 (Southwestern East division title)
1985 (Southwestern East division title)
1986 (Southwestern Conference title)
1988 (Southwestern Conference tri-title)
1989 (Southwestern Conference title)
1995 (Southwestern Conference tri-title)
2002 (Big South Conference title)
2008 (Big South Conference co-title)