South Point

Both the Red Raider fall “ball” teams are doing well enough to draw the attention of coaches, spectators, and colleges from around the state.

The boy’s soccer team is currently ranked #2 in the State in 3A division, and the equally undefeated football team has cracked the state’s Top 10.

Go Boys – Git-R-Dun !

Soccer this week: Home on Monday vs. Ashbrook; Away on Wednesday vs. Forestview — two very tough matches indeed !

Football this week: Home on Friday vs. East Gaston High School

(City of  Belmont photo)

The City of Belmont grew larger after the September 4 council meeting approving a voluntary annexation request by Southland Resources.

34 additional acres just south of South Point High School will be incorporated into the city. Southland Resources plan to build as many as 118 homes on the narrow stretch of land now called South Point Village.

Apparently, one road will feed the new development, and the land will be clear-cut of trees to enable the site to be worked for higher density house placement. The current site is a mixture of pasture and woodland.

More importantly, this development has not yet received permission to build an outlet road through the South Ridge Development that lies just west of the high school campus. South Ridge has its only access road feeding onto an already congested Nixon Road.

The annexation was approved unanimously, with property rights advocates, Charlie Flowers and Charlie Martin, bringing the proposal to the table.

Our concern is two-fold on this annexation and proposed development. First is the road access. Under Traditional Neighborhood (TND) guidelines that the city attempts to live by, roads in developments will be interconnecting and have multiple outlets. The proposed development has neither. Second, a rush to approve clear-cutting in developments concerns us a a community. Developers like to get rid of as many trees, mature or not, to increase the density for the greenspace set asides. Of course trees can be planted.

However, non-native species of trees, ornamentals, and indiscriminate plantings affect the whole community over time.

Lifelong resident and retired Duke Power employee, George Hall, pointed out a concern over the massive clear-cutting that is taking place in the Belmont area. He noted that several older developments, Glenmere and Fallingbrook, incorporated the mature trees into their plans. Of course these developments were also 1-acre lots. The new developments are cramming 3 sometimes 4, and in rare occasions 5 lots in an acre of land.

The Hawthorne project that was recently completed in the old Imperial Mill Village area, did a very good job in the replantings. The developer, Bob Clay, representing Pharr Yarns, replanted oaks, maples, poplars, birches, and several versions of evergreens.  

We need more people to participate in “watchdog” type of activities as developments are brought to the council for approval. This is a development happy group that only looks out after the city coffers for the growing city employee population, not the taxpayer.

A wet, soggy night greeted football fans around the region on Friday. The rain was a welcome respite for yards and gardens, but not needed on the lush, exempt-from-water-restriction football fields.

South Point overcame a very sloppy first half deficit to beat visting Burns, 28-7. Burns had led 7-0 at the half, but according to Gazette reports, “…there was no worry…”, in the Raider lockerroom.

Desmond Lowery had another good game for the 4-0 Red Raiders, rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Fullback Aaron Crumbly got into the action Friday night with 128 and a TD. Lowery only attempted one pass all evening.

Soggy fields give way to outstanding play in the trenches. Senior offensive lineman, Trevor Reeves, a good friend and neighbor, said in a Gazette interview, “…We felt like we could move it [the ball] because the defense was stepping up.” The defense for SP did just that, keeping Burns from adding to their first half tally at critical moments. The defensive line of Daniel Biggerstaff, Daniel Gillelan, Greg Lancaster, and Weston Lawing were given credit for keeping Burns out of the goal. Daniel Holmes led the defense with seven tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.  

Other area games:

Ashbrook won, North Gaston lost, Forestview won, East Gaston lost, Crest won, and Hunter Huss game was postponed to Saturday due to the rain.

Notes:

Next Friday at South Point, it is “Black Friday”, a traditional spirit rally for the students and fans, and of course it is East Gaston at home that evening. Just remember, no body paint…

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