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NJ’s Aycock receives Sam Narron Baseball Award



North Johnston High senior Carter Aycock. left, was presented the Sam Narron Baseball Award by Samuel “Rooster” Narron, right, during a special ceremony in Smithfield on Tuesday. The honor, named after the former major league player and coach from Johnston County, has been given annually since 1998 to the top high school baseball player from Johnston County. Jay Poole | North Johnston Athletics

SMITHFIELD — Carter Aycock capped off an accomplishment-filled senior year Tuesday morning when he became the fifth North Johnston High player to receive the Sam Narron Baseball Award in its 25-year history.

Aycock, who has signed to play baseball for University of Mount Olive, selected as the Johnston County high school player who has demonstrated the most love for the game through “determination, dedication and sacrifice.”



“Receiving this award means a lot to me and I am grateful that I was chosen,” Aycock said. “I work really hard on the field and in the classroom. I will forever appreciate this award and the $500 scholarship.”

The Sam Narron Baseball Award is named for the Johnston County native who spent nearly three decades in Major League Baseball as a player and coach. He was part of two World Series championship teams. The award was presented by Narron’s son, Samuel “Rooster” Narron at the Evander S. Simpson Building where the Johnston County Board of Education meets.

The previous recipients of the Sam Narron Baseball Award from North Johnston were Joey Creech (2002), Kyle Sanders (2009), Bret Corbett (2011) and Michael Stott (2015).

North Johnston senior catcher Carter Aycock comes down with a pop foul during a game against Hunt in the Golden Leaf Invitational on April 10 at Fleming Stadium. Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times

As their only senior, Aycock delivered for the Panthers this spring, leading them to 18 wins and a second straight 2-A Neuse 6 Conference title from his catcher position. He led the conference with 22 RBIs while batting .413 with an on-base percentage of .573 and a slugging percentage of .597, all among the top in the Neuse 6.

“This past season was a bit different than the past three years,: he said. “I was the only senior and we had a young team, but we still got after it and I tried to lead them the right way. … Personally I felt like I had a good senior season and left it all out on the field.”

Aycock said two of his favorite memories from his senior season involved games against the Panthers’ chief rival, Princeton. He slugged the final home run of his high school career in a 6-3 win at Princeton on April 18 then celebrated again at the Bulldogs’ expense at North Johnston on May 4. Junior teammate Brayden Lawhorn’s walk-off scored Cory Barnes with the game’s only run as the Panthers wrapped up an unbeaten Neuse 6 season with a Senior Night win gift-wrapped for Aycock.

“I would say it was a great way to end my high school career and now its time to focus on my game and getting ready to go play at the next level,” Aycock said.

The son of Kelly and Chuck Aycock of Pine Level, Aycock was selected to the Farris & Thomas Law Attorneys Academic All-Area as selected by The Wilson Times. He holds a 4.12 GPA and is ranked No. 19 in his senior class at North Johnston. He is president of “The Prowl,” the student pep club at North Johnston, and is also in Future Farmers of America and First Priority.

Carter will receive five scholarships, including the University of Mount Olive Scholarship, the UMO Presidential Scholarship and the UMO Reece Richardson Scholarship.