RED CROSS — West Stanly’s baseball team extended its dominant start to the 2026 season Friday, shutting out Forest Hills 11-0 at home to remain unbeaten.
The Colts (12-0, 4-0 RRC), last year’s 2A Western Regional runners-up, are chasing their fourth consecutive Rocky River Conference title and their first as a 4A program under the state’s new eight-class model.
West Stanly has controlled opponents on both sides of the ball, outscoring teams 119-20 through its first 12 games. The Colts finished 23-8 a season ago, including a perfect 10-0 mark in conference play.
Against Forest Hills (4-8, 1-4 RRC), junior pitcher Kannon Tucker delivered a standout performance on the mound, allowing just two hits while striking out 11 batters.
Offensively, the Colts broke the game open with five-run innings in both the third and fifth. West Stanly totaled eight hits, with sophomore Caleb Foley and senior Sam Carpenter each driving in two runs.
West Stanly traveled to Parkwood on Tuesday and is scheduled to host the Wolfpack on Thursday.
North Stanly 20, Albemarle 1 / North Stanly 15, Albemarle 0
Outscoring the Albemarle Bulldogs (2-5, 1-3 YVC) 35-1 across two games, the North Stanly Comets (9-2, 2-0 YVC) made easy work of their local opponent in a doubleheader in New London on Friday.
The Comets are the reigning Yadkin Valley Conference champs coming off a 26-2 (10-0 conf.) season, while the Bulldogs were 1-15 last year.
North Stanly hosted South Stanly on Tuesday and will head to Norwood to face the Rowdy Rebel Bulls on Thursday; Albemarle embarked on a two-game home/road split with Union Academy.
South Stanly 17, North Rowan 0
With a 17-0 road win at North Rowan (2-7, 1-3 YVC), the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls (7-6, 4-0 YVC) have now won four games in a row — and five out of six — after a rocky 2-5 start to the season.
South Stanly’s matchups with North Stanly this week could prove vital to the two team’s placement in the mid-season league standings. The Bulls finished third in the YVC (6-4) in 2025, putting together a 21-7 overall record.
Union Academy 3, Gray Stone 1
The Gray Stone Knights (3-5, 0-3 YVC), hoping to improve from last season’s 7-13 (2-8 YVC) campaign, are still searching for their first conference win of the season as they aim to snap a three-game skid.
They’ll get a shot to improve in YVC play as they travel to North Rowan on Thursday following a home visit from the Cavaliers on Tuesday.