Carolina Mudcats slugger Jeremie Tice and reliever Shawn Armstrong have been selected as members of the 2012 Carolina League All-Star team.
The Carolina League All-Stars will meet all-stars from the California League Tuesday night at BB&T Ballpark in Winston-Salem. The All-Stars were selected by a vote of Carolina League managers, general managers and media members.
East Carolina announced its 2012 football schedule on Thursday:
Sept. 1 - APPALACHIAN STATE
Sept. 8 - at South Carolina
Jamal Marcus, Durham Hillside's 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive end, is expected to announce his college choice on Wednesday, Feb. 1, the national letter of intent signing day.
GREENVILLE – East Carolina opened Saturday's contest with an inspiring scoring drive, but before long Southern Miss silenced the hopeful crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with its own electrifying brand of football.
Southern Miss (8-1, 3-1 C-USA) scored a season-high 38 first-half points, twice finding the end zone on returned interceptions, once on a returned punt, once on a returned block punt, once on a touchdown pass and once on a field goal. By the time they were done, the Golden Eagles had snapped the Pirates’ three-game winning streak and collected an impressive 48-28 victory before a disappointed home crowd of 50,345.
East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill made no excuses and accepted all blame, criticism and ridicule for his team’s crushing 56-3 loss to Houston on Saturday. Yet he remained confident in the Pirates' ability to compete with other football teams in Conference USA.
During Monday’s news conference, the second year coach said his team played its “worst” football game of the season and was outclassed by No. 25 Houston (6-0, 2-0 C-USA).
“We got beat by a better team,” McNeill said. “They played great on all three sides of the ball. Their offense, defense and special teams were magnificent. They played with great confidence and executed as well as any team we’ve played this year, including South Carolina, Virginia Tech and North Carolina.
“They executed with precision. Their kids played with a lot of confidence. I told [Houston head coach] Kevin [Sumlin] after the game good luck and I hope we meet again in the championship game.”
East Carolina and North Carolina announced on Thursday a two-year home-and-home football series agreement that will keep the schools playing through 2013.
North Carolina will host the Pirates on Sept. 22, 2012 at Kenan Stadium, but will make the trip to Greenville on Sept. 28, 2013.
In a series that started in 1972, the two teams will play for the 14th time on Saturday in a sold-out contest at ECU's Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (8 p.m.).
GREENVILLE – East Carolina changed its defensive scheme during the spring in hopes of improving a unit that finished 12th in total defense in Conference USA and yielded an average of 478.8 yards last season.
After two games using their new 3-4 defensive scheme, the Pirates rank fifth in total defense (341.5) in the league, improving specifically in the pass defense category where they've held teams to an average of 111.0 yards per game.
The Pirates (0-2) enter Saturday's home-game against Alabama at Birmingham ranked second in pass defense in the league and fourth in the nation.
GREENVILLE – East Carolina named junior college transfer Reggie Bullock as its starting running back for its season-opener.
The Pirates face No. 12 South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 6-foot-8 sophomore wide receiver Justin Jones will miss the first game as he recovers from a left knee injury sustained during a team scrimmage.
"Justin Jones is looking good and should be back soon," McNeill said.
Not soon enough for the Pirates, who will need every healthy body against the Gamecocks. Jones is expected to contribute a great deal to the offense at inside receiver this season.
GREENVILLE – Emanuel Davis found the statistics simply embarrassing.
East Carolina, with its rich football tradition built on defense, finished last season with Conference USA’s worst total defense. The Pirates yielded an average of 478.8 yards and 44.0 points per game, their total defense ranking 120th in the nation.
Davis, who owned up to his part in the defensive debacle, declared responsibility as a returning senior to restore the Pirates’ defensive reputation. He started talking to teammates shortly after East Carolina dropped its final football game of the season against Maryland in the Military Bowl on Dec. 29.
He hasn’t stopped reminding them.
“I’m definitely putting it in people’s ear because I was on some of those teams where we won championships off defense,” said Davis, a defensive back who took part in the Pirates’ back-to-back conference championship seasons in 2008 and 2009. “I’m just trying to get those guys to realize this is a program built off defense.”
East Carolina's Lance Lewis and Emanuel Davis were named to the 2011 Conference USA football coaches preseason team on Wednesday.
Lewis, a senior outside receiver, moves into a key role with the Pirates after the graduation of star receiver DeWayne Harris. He pulled in 89 receptions last season for 1,116 yards, setting a single-season school record with 14 touchdowns.
Davis, a senior cornerback, started in all 13 games for the Pirates and finished with 54 tackles, including 36 solo. He also had nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Both players were selected to the preseason team by the league's 12 coaches.
