Enka’s DeMoss signs with Tornados

CANDLER – These days, it takes a special type of athlete to play two sports in college.

Enka senior Whitney DeMoss fits the bill.

DeMoss played two years of varsity basketball for the Sugar Jets and just one for their volleyball team. It was more than enough to make an impression on Brevard College.

DeMoss signed with the Tornados on Thursday morning.

“I really like the campus. I’m just excited about it all,” DeMoss said. “I’m glad I can still play both sports. I didn’t really get serious about basketball until my junior year. I didn’t really like it at first.”

DeMoss was an All-Mountain Athletic Conference selection in both sports this school year. She was the primary hitter for the MAC 3-A champion Sugar Jets volleyball team, which went 13-10 and reached the second round of the NCHSAA playoffs.

And DeMoss was part of Enka’s MAC 3-A tournament championship basketball team in 2013 that memorably advanced to the third round of the state playoffs despite finishing in fourth place in the regular-season standings.

Enka was 13-10 this winter and reached the second round of the postseason with DeMoss putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds a night.

“We proved a lot of people wrong (by winning last year’s MAC 3-A volleyball championship), and we did some big things in basketball. We changed things for the better here at Enka.”

Call it cruel timing. DeMoss relocated from South Dakota to the Enka school district the day after the Sugar Jets’ volleyball team lost to Jesse Carson in the 2012 Western Regional championship for 3-A volleyball.

“I’m very excited for her, and I think she’s going to do well at the next level,” Enka volleyball coach Jennifer Kruk said. “My only regret is that we didn’t get to have Whitney longer.”

And two other Enka athletes made college decisions Thursday. Seniors Seth George (baseball) and Morgan Scholtz (softball) signed with the same college (Piedmont, Georgia).

The two said they have been best friends since the second grade. George is a first baseman/outfielder/pitcher, while Scholtz is an outfielder/pitcher.

Two to play for Montreat

A pair of Western North Carolina pitchers have committed to play baseball for Montreat.

Swain County’s Jacob Cutshaw signed with the Cavaliers on Thursday, while North Henderson will hold a ceremony for John Barwick on April 30.

Cutshaw has a 2.42 ERA and leads the pitching staff for the Maroon Devils (6-7, 6-4) in innings pitched (42 2-3) and strikeouts (34). Barwick has a 5.85 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 26 1-3 innings for the Knights (4-14, 3-7).

Bearcats’ Mew to play multiple sports

Hendersonville senior Scott Mew has signed to play soccer and run track at Union (Kentucky).

The Bearcats held a signing ceremony for Mew on Thursday. Mew was the runner-up in the 400-meter dash (52.96 seconds) at the Western Highlands Conference meet April 9 in Columbus.

Rosman baseball players sign

Three Rosman baseball players signed with colleges this week — Noah Poteat (Brevard College), Jay Hale (Southern Wesleyan) and Eric Turner (Hood).

The Tigers are 13-1 overall and 11-1 in the Smoky Mountain Conference.

Poteat was the winning pitcher in Wednesday’s 12-5 nonconference win at Brevard. Dillon Zachary, Tyler Petit and Cam Dotson had two hits each.