Two local lifetime members of the PGA of America have put together a unique program called "Kids Sandlot Golf" available to all boys and girls ages 7-12 who would like to learn to play golf.

After kids receive some instruction, rules and safety guidelines, they can play in scheduled Saturday events and also have access to play the sandlot layouts year-round, anytime on weekends and after school.

Pinehurst Parks and Recreation has provided space for a nine-hole sandlot layout on Chicken Plant Road and the Elks Lodge/Southern Pines Golf Club have permitted the use of holes 1, 7 and 8 of their third nine, "The Cardinal Course."

The first "fun event" is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 30, at 10 a.m. at the soccer field in front of the Elks Lodge in Southern Pines.

For more details and registration contact Dick Tremblay at (910) 986-3251 or by e-mail at Luxuryprop@islc.net. Also, see the story in Wednesday's sports section.

Middle School XC Championship

The girls' team from Pope John Paul II and the West Pine boys took first place at Thursday's Moore County Middle School Cross Country Championships held at the Elks Club course in Southern Pines.

Fifth-grader Isabel Flores, of Pope John Paul II, won the girl's 3,200 meter race with a time of 14:16. Tommy Delaunay, a seventh-grader at West Pine, was the boys' champion, finishing with a time of 12:48.

In the close team competition between the girls' teams, Pope John Paul finished with 39 points to 41 for West Pine and 47 for Southern Middle. The winning total for the West Pine boys was 26, followed by Southern Middle with 32 and O'Neal with 75.

See thepilot.com for photos.

Top 15 finishers - Boys - Tommy Delaunay (WP) 12:48, Irvin Enriquez (SM) 12:56, Mitchell Casey (WP) 12:59, Tim Farmer (SM) 13:25, Hunter Hawes (WP) 13:28, Sam Kruyer (WP) 13:28, Robert Anderson (SM) 13:31, Evan Miles (ON) 13:34, Cole Rich (SM) 13:47, Walker Smith (SM) 13:49, Chase Nelson (WP) 13:52, David Fogelman (SC) 13:53, Gerardo Peraza (13:58, Teno Benitez (SM) 14:02, Robin Berthelette (WP) 14:05; Girls - Isabel Flores (PJ) 14:16, Jordan Edmondson (SM) 14:58, Catherine Framstad (PJ) 15:01, Sophia Flores (PJ) 15:28, Allyson Burney (SM) 15:41, Natalie Hipp (WP) 15:42, Grace West (WP) 16:06, Hunter Atkinson (ON) 16:06, Gwen Murphy (WP) 16:24, Abby Reed (WP) 16:37, Jenna Martin (SM) 16:50, Peyton Wannall (WP) 17:01, Riley Barrett (PJ) 17:03, McKenzie Kennedy (WP) 17:11; Hannah Browning (SM) 17:12.

N.M. Soccer Wins Two Straight

The Mustang soccer team traveled to South Davidson and to North Rowan this week and came home with two victories.

On Wednesday, North Moore defeated the Wildcats of South Davidson by a score of 8 - 0. It was the Mustangs' fourth shutout of the season.

Goal scorers for North Moore were Jared McNeill and Jose Peralta with two goals each, and Alejandro Mendoza, Noe Ramirez, Junior Lopez, Juan Carlos Garcia with one goal each.

Assists were provided by Oscar Ramirez, Brandon Ambriz and Gerbacio Cabrera.

On Thursday night, the Mustangs took it to the Cavaliers of North Rowan and scored a convincing 10 - 3 victory.

North Moore goal scorers were Alejandro Mendoza and Noe Ramirez each with a hat trick, Jose Peralta, Brandon Ambriz, Alvaro Coronel, and Geovanny Ramirez with one goal each. Jared McNeill had four assists, and Noe Ramirez and Tristen Matthews recorded one apiece.

North Moore's overall record is now 7 - 6 - 1 and their conference record is 6 -5.

O'Neal Tennis Takes Second in CFIC

The O'Neal School varsity girls' tennis team won their seventh conference match with a 9-0 victory over Village Christian Academy.

The visitors came out strong in the singles with Brianna Ek winning over Patricia Kalevias 6-3, 6-0. Amelia Schirmer defeated Allison Copeland 6-1, 6-0, Victoria Scarpa defeated Colleen Royal 6-0, 6-0, Mary Garner defeated Jacqueline Leathers 6-0, 6-0, Maggie Hakas defeated Melisa Allen 6-1, 6-1, and Greyson Keel defeated Chelsea Griffin 6-1, 6-1.

In doubles Ek and Scarpa improved their doubles record to 10-2 with an 8-2 win over Stout and Stevens, Schirmer and Garner also improved to 10-2 with an 8-0 victory over Kalevias and Copeland and Jordan Fisher and Ally Hoehn-Saric defeated Sessoms and Sessoms 8-0.

In an exhibition doubles Keel and Hakas defeated Leathers and Patillo 8-0.

O'Neal improved to 9-3 (7-2) in the Cape Fear Independent Conference) and Village dropped to 4-8 (2-7).