The year 2006 has come and gone.

With it some great moments in local sports and some sad moments have gone with it. I must say that I’m glad to see last year pass into the great beyond and look forward to starting over this year.

With my thoughts still on 2006, however, I’m going to talk about some of the best and worst moments of the year.

I’ll start with the best of the year. Remember, like everything in this column, these are personal opinions of things that I enjoyed and found important. You may well have your own list.

Friday, January 14 n Tony Hoggard is named head football coach at Bertie High School. As a graduate of the school, having a proud alum taking the helm was something I was proud of.

Tuesday, January 24 n Chowan College beats Elizabeth City State University on a buzzer-beating shot (69-67) at the Helms Center.

Wednesday, February 1 n Hertford County’s LaMarcus Jenkins signs with North Carolina State University and Jaquin Sessoms signs with Winston-Salem State University. On the same day, Richard Jowers of Northampton-East signs with Elizabeth City State.

Tuesday, February 14 n Chowan College wins their 12th men’s basketball game in a row.

Thursday, February 19 n Hertford County’s boy’s basketball team wins the Northeastern Coastal Conference tournament. Just an hour or so before, Bertie won the girl’s tournament.

Later the same night, Trey Denton scores his 2,000 point at Bethel Christian Academy.

Friday, February 24 n Hertford County wins the Sectional Championship.

Saturday, February 25 n Bethel coach Joe Mizelle wins game number 700.

Sunday, March 12 – Chowan College wins the National Christian College Athletic Association South Regional tournament.

Sunday, March n Chowan finishes third in the NCCAA national tournament and Jim Tribbett is named National Coach of the Year.

Monday, March 27 n Jessica Breland is named to the McDonald’s All-American team.

Thusday, April 13 n Bertie High School upsets Northeastern in softball.

Wednesday, April 22 n Lawrence senior hurler Jessica Johnston tosses a no-hitter.

Tuesday, April 28 n Gates County coach Clark Harrell and player Graylen Boone, Hertford County’s LaMarcus Bond, Northampton-East’s Melvin Rogers and Northampton-West’s Joe Huff are named to the All-East team.

Tuesday, May 2 n Bertie junior pitcher Megan Cowan tosses a no-hitter.

Thursday, May 4 n Lawrence Academy sweeps the TIC baseball and softball tournaments.

Tuesday, May 16 n Lawrence advances to the Final Four in baseball for the second year under coach Robert Kravitz.

Saturday, May 20 n Lyndal Brown (Northeast), Jessica Johnston (Lawrence), Jodi White (Lawrence), Jacob Harrell (Lawrence), Dusty Todd (Lawrence), Jobie Thomas (Lawrence) and Judd Whitehead (Lawrence) were named All-State.

Wednesday, May 30 n Dexter Carter signs with Old Dominion.

Thursday, June 8 n Northampton-East pitcher Mindy Drewette is named Tar-Roanoke Conference Player of the Year.

Thursday, June 22 n Trey Denton’s number is retied at Bethel.

Tuesday, June 27 n Jacob Harrell signs with Elizabeth City State.

Thursday, July 6 n Robert Kravitz is named Athletic Director at Lawrence Academy.

Saturday, July 8 n Sarah Beth Greene is a representative in the inaugural Shrine Bowl.

Saturday, July 15 n Lyndal Brown signs a scholarship to Barton College.

Saturday, July 29 n Dusty Todd signs with Elizabeth City State.

Thursday, August 31 n Kent Bazemore commits to Old Dominion University.

Sunday, September 17 n Ashley Bradford records a hat-trick to pace Chowan University to a women’s soccer victory.

Thursday, September 21 n A formal announcement is made about the inaugural Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament.

Friday, September 22 n Northeast Academy beats Cary Christian 65-7 in football to record win number three in a row.

Saturday, September 30 n Chowan University is ranked number one in the South Region for women’s soccer.

Thursday, October 5 n Bertie win the 3-A division in tennis for the first time in school history under coach Jackie Copeland.

Tuesday, October 17 n Lawrence Academy wins the TIC volleyball title.

Friday, November 3 n Bertie hosts Hertford County for the Northeastern Coastal Conference football championship.

Friday, November 10 n Chowan University women’s soccer upsets the number one seed in the NCCAA South Regional.

Friday, November 17 n Ridgecroft sweeps the inaugural Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament.

Thursday, December 14 n Lawrence boy’s basketball team upsets Terra Ceia Christian School.

Thursday, December 28 n The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald Holiday Classic crowns Charles Simmons’ Hertford County boys and Alice Bennett’s Bertie girls as champions.

A couple of dates that weren’t so good last year included:

Friday, January 6 n Ridgecroft coach Tim Boone has a heart attack while coaching the Rams at Northeast Academy.

Tuesday, May 30 n With two state titles and four state championship series appearances under his belt, Truitt Johnston retires as head softball coach at Lawrence Academy.

Thursday, June 29 n The North Carolina General Assembly wrecks Gates County’s schedule by creating a small school conference.

Questions? Comments? Snide Remarks?

You can reach me at thadd.white@r-cnews.com or call me at 332-7211.

Be careful out there and be good sports.