Rocky Mount Telegram from Rocky Mount, North Carolina • 9

Rocky Mount Telegram TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30,2014 TELEGRAM PORT UNC FOOTBALL What will it take for the Tar Heels iu ma mtw uemiibive wuesr ad CAROLINA MUDCATS Braves announce affiliation with Mudcats Salazar is the club's manager. Rigth-handed pitcher Dylan Sims, the Brave's first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, started 28 games on the hill last season for the Hillcats. There is a good chance he will be in the Mudcats' dugout at some point next season along with outfielder Blake Brown, a 2012 fifth-round pick for Class-A Advance team to Five County Stadium after spending four years in Lynchburg, Va. "We are delighted to reach this agreement with the Carolina Mudcats," Braves president John Schuerholz said in a release. "This move will allow us to continue our long-standing affiliation with the Carolina League." The Mudcats had been part of the Cleveland Indians minor league system for 27 years, and had spent the past three seasons in Zebulon after moving operations from Knstoa But the Indians organization elected to not renew the Player Development Contract with the Mudcats in early September, which opened the door for the Braves, who were seeking better facilities for their minor league team and looking to remain locat ed in the Southeast According to the release, the Braves plan to keep the Mudcats name and will remain in the Carolina League.

The Lynchburg Hillcats, which is where a bulk of next season's Mudcats players will come from, made the Carolina League playoffs last season after going 34-35 in the Northern Divisioa Former Chicago Cubs third baseman Luis BY ANDREW IVINS Sports Writer The Carolina Mudcats have a new affiliate, and its one that will make many local baseball fans happy. The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that they have reached a two-year Player Development Contract with the city of Zebulon. The Braves will move the club's p-, 0 A 1 t- i 1 a Carolina some tough decisions to make Williams, who had just returned to the Panthers' lineup after missing the last two games with a bad hamstring, suffered an ankle in jury during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Baltr more Ravens. "His foot's sore," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Monday, Panthers coach Ron Rivera will have See MUDCATS, 3B CHARLOTTE HORNETS Hornets a without BY STEVE REED Associated Press CHARLOTTE -The Charlotte Hornets are moving forward for now without Jeffery Taylor, the latest in a growing list of professional athletes arrested on domestic violence charges. General manager Rich Cho said the Hornets will await the outcome of an NBA-led investigation before deciding whether to reinstate Taylor.

He offered no timetable for Taylor's return to the team. Speaking at a media day news conference Monday, Cho said it was "appropriate" for the organization to act "deci-sively and swiftly" in banning Taylor from all team-related activities on Friday. "We take domestic violence as a very serious matter," Cho said. Taylor ran into problems with the law when he was arrested by East Lansing Police in Michigan on Thursday and charged him with one count of domestic assault, one count of assault and one count of malicious destruction of property following an altercation the East Lansing Marriott at University Place. Cho said he's spoken with Taylor, who was released Thursday on $5,000 bond, but declined to discuss details of that conversation or any specific information related to the case.

The GM did say he has no knowledge of a video tape from the hotel that might shed light on the altercation See HORNETS, 2B APPHOTO Jeffrey Taylor was arrested in Michigan last week on domestic violence charges. TV HIGHLIGHT MLB 8:07 -Oakland at Kansas City (TBS) diusting Taylor Panthers with no healthy running backs left I 2rh to pile up It doesnt look like it's anything structural, but it's sore. So he's probably going to start this week off as 'doubtful'" Williams, who was seen in the locker room Monday wearing a walking boot on his left foot, will be reevaluated later this week, the coach said. His absence from the of me." Stewart took 29 questions over 36 minutes at Stewart-Haas Racing, but did not discuss what he remembers about the incident that killed Ward. He has been advised by legal counsel not to discuss it because he still could face a civil lawsuit from Ward's family.

He admitted he's not been properly engaged with the four-car race team he co-owns. w.ifliMhdd.Miir AREA SOCCER Monday's Big Eastronference game between Norther. Rash and Rocky Mount High was cancelled due to rain. Injuries continue NASCAR APPHOTO from the opening-day roster. at RB lineup, however long it may be, further hits a Panthers roster already thin at running back.

Pro Bowl fullback Mike Tolbert was put on short-term injured reserve last week with a hairline fracture in his left leg, and will not See PANTHERS, 2B He missed three races following Ward's death as he secluded himself at his Indiana home, but has been back since the Aug. 31 race at Atlanta. The 43-year-old Stewart didnt earn a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, but teammates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch both made the See STEWART, 2B NCAA FOOTBALL The ACC announced start times for the games set to take place on Oct. 11. Duke will travel to Georgia Tech for a 12:30 p.m.

kickoff. N.C Stat hosts Boston College at 3:30 p.m. Previously announced. North Carolina's game with Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. will start at 3:30 p.m.

mm BY BILL KISER Associated Press CHARLOTTE Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is "doubtful" for this weekend's game against the Chicago Bears, the latest setback for Carolina's ground game. Stewart: BY JENNA FRYER Associated Press KANNAPOLIS Tony Stewart said Monday he never considered retiring from racing following the death of Kevin Ward Jr. The three-time NASCAR champion talked with reporters Monday at his first news conference since a grand jury decided last week not to charge him in Ward's death. The 20-year-old driver was Never thought about retiring struck arid killed by Stewart's car during a sprint car race in upstate New York on Aug. 9.

"This is what Tve done all my life. This is what I've done for 36 years, and I wouldn't change anything about it," he said. "I love what I da I love driving race cars, but I think it might change right now as far as how much of it and what I do, but there was never a thought in my head about stopping. That would take the life out TODAY'S GAMES Northern Nash hosts Southern Nasi tonight in a critical Big East volleyball match. See 3B for today's other local events.

ACC FOOTBALL Three players from local schools were honored with weekly awards for their performances on Saturday. N.C State quarterback Jacob; Brts-Mt was named the co-Offensive Back of the Week. The Wolfpacks' Jem' Fernandez was Linebacker of the Week. Duke's Jeremy Cask was co-Defensive Back of the Week..