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Among other things we talked about today (namely the upcoming game against Clayton), West Johnston High football coach Bennett Jones said today that running back Mallie Umphrey is expected to be fully cleared to play Friday night against Clayton.

Umphrey sprained a knee in the Wildcats' win over Garner three weeks ago and hasn't played since. He's able to participate in non-contact drills early in the week and should get the final go to play in a game on Wednesday.

Jones also said that despite losing three offensive linemen for some time to injuries at different points in last Friday's game that James King should be the only player among that group to miss Friday's game. King will have an MRI to confirm things but it looks like his injury is a sprained knee as well.

I'll be back later tonight with a report from the West Johnston at Clayton boys soccer match and check back at theherald-nc.com/sports this week for a full preview of Friday night's prep games in Johnston County. 

West Johnston 21, East Wake 14

The Wildcats led 21-0 when one of its players threw punches at an assistant coach and had to be escorted off of the field by a deputy sheriff. West then had to hang on, recovering an onside kick in the final seconds, to seal their seventh win of the season.

Clayton 24, Holly Springs 17

The Comets trailed 10-0 at the half, pulled ahead 16-10, then fell back behind 17-16 before winning.

Southeast Raleigh 41, Smithfield-Selma 13

The Spartans fall in a double-digit hole (this one, 20-0) for the third straight game and never recover. UNC recruit Justin Dixon doesn't play in the game after being suspended.

Triton 40, South Johnston 29

The Hawks hand the Trojans their second loss in as many Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference outings. South was the defending league champion.

The Carolina Mudcats will announce their new minor league affiliation tomorrow afternoon. Also set to be announced are "special" plans for the 2009 schedule and plans for more improvements at the stadium.

We'll have full coverage of all of the news coming out Friday online at theherald-nc.com/sports and in next week's print editon of The Herald.

West Johnston coach Bennett Jones confirmed this morning that the MRI on Wildcats' running back Mallie Umphrey's knee showed no structural damage. The injury is a sprained knee. Umphrey will not play this week against Holly Springs.

He will be reevaulated before next week's game against East Wake.

BOYS SOCCER

Clayton 4, Smithfield-Selma 1

Goals: CLY--C. Coates, R. Killane, G. Oliver, D. Lopez; SSS--J. Allen.

Assists: CLY--J. Hilburn, J. Shapiro; SSS--L. Zeron.

Check out a report on the match now by clicking here: http://www.theherald-nc.com/sports/story/9255.html

Louisburg 5, North Johnston 4

Goals: LOU--C. Ragland 2, J. Calamaco, Eban, Bell; NJO-Brame 2, Cortes, Grady.

Assists: LOU--Chase Ragland 2, Rayo, Eban.

GIRLS TENNIS

West Johnston 5, East Wake 4

Singles: Beaver (EWK) def.
Reese 6-4, 5-7, 6-3; Rhodes (WJO) def. Joseph 6-1, 6-4; Langdon (WJO)
def. Piner 6-2, 6-2; Shearub (WJO) def. Duke 6-2, 6-4; Williford (EWK)
def. Tingler 7-6, 6-7 (7-6) 6-1; Cannon (EWK) def. Ennis 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Doubles:
Reese and Rhodes (WJO) def. Beaver and Joseph 8-4; Langdon and Shearin
(WJO) def. Piner and Duke 8-5; Williford and Cannon (EWK) def. Tingler
and Ennis 9-7.

Holly Springs 6, Clayton 3

Singles: B. Singletary (CLY) def.
A. Johnson 6-4, 6-0; B. Wiedemann (CLY) def. C. Hanke 2-6, 7-6 (7-4),
6-0; L. Gazzard (HLY) def. Z. Littman 6-0, 7-5; L. Fournier (CLY) def.
J. Brown 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; H. Kanady (HLY) def. K. Edwards 6-2, 6-0; M.
Wiener (HLY) def. K. Durham 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles: Johnson and Hanke (HLY) def. Singletary and Wiedemann 8-5; L.
Gazzard and J. Brown (HLY) def. L. Fournier and K. Durham 8-4; H.
Kanady and M. Weiner (HLY) def. Z. Littman and Morrison 8-3.

North Johnston 8, North Duplin 1

Singles: Weaver (NJO)
def. Jackson 6-2; 6-3; Wood (NJO) def. Howell 6-1; 6-0; Brown (NJO)
def. Taylor 6-2; 6-2; Pittman (NJO) def. Strickland 6-0; 6-0; Gerrell
(NJO) def. Jones 6-0; 6-1; Goodman (NDL) def. RIchardson 7-6(7-2); 6-0.

Doubles:
Wood and Gupere (NJO) def. Jackson and Taylor 8-2; Sanders and Peele
(NJO) def. Howell and Strickland 9-7; Littleton and Narron (NJO) def.
Taylor and Hilaldo 8-0.

The preliminary news is good on West Johnston running back Mallie Umphrey who left Friday night's game against Garner with a knee injury. Wildcats' coach Bennett Jones said this morning that Umphrey likely has a sprain and will be out a couple of weeks.

Umphrey, a senior standout, will have an MRI today that will give the final word on what exactly the injury is.

"What we've been told is that it doesn't look like there's any structural damage," Jones said. "And when you look at it [the play where Umphrey was injured] on film, it doesn't look like one of those things where you see a knee blown out. He didn't get his cleat caught in the turf or anything like that so hopefully we'll get good news later today." 

West Johnston 20, Garner 13

Knightdale 20, Smithfield-Selma 7

Southeast Raleigh 14, Clayton 9

Midway 34, North Johnston 21

Southern League MVP Gaby Sanchez is headed to the big club in Miami, joining fellow Mudcats Cameron Maybin, Ryan Tucker and Jesus Delgado, who have already spent time in the Major Leagues.

You can read more about their promotion at theherald-nc.com/sports or by clicking here: http://www.theherald-nc.com/sports/story/9220.html

Tuesday was a big day for key volleyball matches across the county. Clayton and Smithfield-Selma and North Johnston and Princeton met in a pair of great five-set matches. 

The Comets beat SSS, trading game for game until Clayton earned a 16-14 victory in the deciding fifth game. North Johnston, meanwhile, rallied to prevail in a match up of unbeaten Carolina 1-A Conference foes. The Panthers fought off three match points in the third game, then charged back to win the fourth and fifth games. 

We'll have reports on both matches in the next print edition of The Herald.

The Scores: 

Clayton def. Smithfield-Selma 25-20, 18-25, 25-23, 17-25, 16-14

North Johnston def. Princeton 18-25, 21-25, 29-27, 25-21, 15-10

Boys Soccer 

East Wake 2, Clayton 1

Goals: EWK—L. Aragon; CLY—H. Crocker.

Assits: EWK—M. Paye, N. Thomas; CLY—R. Killane.

Girls Tennis

Garner 5, West Johnston 4

Singles: Reese (WJO) def. Jordan 6-0, 6-2; McDowell (GAR) def. Rhodes 6-4, 6-1; Curtis (GAR) def. Langdon 6-1, 6-4; Nickalson (GAR) def. Shearin 6-0, 7-5; Jonell (GAR) def. Tingler 7-5, 7-5; Chalk (GAR) def. Ennis 6-0, 7-5.

Doubles: Reese and Rhodes (WJO) def. Nichalson and Chalk 8-1; Langdon and Shearin (WJO) def. Meyer and Walton 8-3; Tingler and Ennis (WJO) def. Ruiz and Coln 8-2.