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Raleigh, N.C. — Throughout the year, we’ve covered a number of high school sports stories across North Carolina. Some of them are feel-good stories, some are hard news, many celebrate success, and some offer insight and takes from our staff.
Here are some of the most-read and most-discussed high school sports stories from 2022.
Stories that uplift
“Deaf people can do whatever they want”: Don’t tell Williams High School senior Jordan McDowell that he’s at a disadvantage because he is deaf. McDowell is a multi-sport athlete at Williams and a source of inspiration for his coaches and teammates. This fall, he decided to play football for the Bulldogs. He has an interpreter who accompanies him to team meetings, practices, and games, and his teammates help him know when officials blow the whistle to stop a play. “Deaf people can do whatever they want,” Jordan communicated. “Whatever decision they make, they can play football, wrestling, soccer, basketball, whatever. People can still do good things with a positive attitude. “
Woolard Wall: On Jan. 2, Pinecrest baseball assistant coach Roger Woolard died, but his presence lived on through a special season for the Patriots. The left field wall — where Woolard’s son plays for Pinecrest — was raised six feet, honoring his No. 6 jersey from his playing days. “Woolard Wall” is now printed across left field. This spring, the Pinecrest baseball team took a photo with the regional championship trophy in front of Woolard Wall.
Winning for Winstead: Tarboro’s baseball team wanted to win just like any other team, but the Vikings had more to play for this spring. J.T. Winstead wore No. 16 for the Tarboro baseball team. He was killed in a car accident in Greenville when a truck lost control and hit the car he was riding in head on. His teammates rallied, wearing No. 16 on their caps and playing in honor of their teammate and friend gone too soon.
Mixed emotions of homecoming: Western Harnett’s Ian Bristow was a three-sport star as a junior, playing basketball, football, and baseball. However, after an accident following his last exam of his junior year, Bristow was paralyzed from the chest down. He patrolled the sidelines in his camouflage, all-terrain wheelchair. And on homecoming this fall, Bristow was crowned homecoming king.
Hough honors UVA shooting victim
The impact of coaches
Clarence Inscore retires: The longest-tenured head football coach in Wake County announced his retirement in the first few days of 2022. Clarence Inscore, a graduate of Millbrook High School and the head coach of the Wildcats for 21 seasons, told his team he was stepping down and retiring from teaching.
Football coaching giant dies: Longtime high school football coach Bob Paroli, one of the winningest high school football coaches in North Carolina history, died in February at the age of 90. He spent most of his career coaching in the Fayetteville area, including for 25 seasons at Douglas Byrd High School where his teams appeared in three straight state finals and where the stadium is named in his honor. Paroli won his first state championship in 2008 while coaching at Seventy-First High School.
Leesville sends off legendary soccer coach: Longtime Leesville Road soccer coach Paul Dinkenor has coached his last game for the Pride. Dinkenor is retiring from coaching after 30 years of leading both the girls and boys soccer programs. Dinkenor started the program at Leesville Road when the school opened in 1993, making him the only soccer coach the Pride has ever had.
5-time champion Mike Brodowicz retires: Charlotte Catholic football coach Mike Brodowicz announced his retirement from coaching earlier this month. He has been the head coach of the Cougars since 2014, winning five state championships and posting a record of 110-15.
Chris Danehower gets 300th win: A Triangle girls basketball coaching veteran, Chris Danehower, now coaching the team at Leesville Road, picked up his 300th win earlier this month. The Pride defeated Heritage 40-32. Danehower built a powerhouse at Athens Drive, posting a record of 161-79 with three conference championships and four conference tournament titles. Then he opened Cleveland High School where he won three straight conference titles and posted a record of 125-102.
Garner’s Thurman Leach retires: After 34 years of coaching high school football in Wake County, Garner football coach Thurman Leach announced his retirement following the 2022 season. Leach, who was a longtime assistant at Garner before taking over as the head coach in 2013, led the Trojans to a record of 75-46 in ten seasons.
Poobie Chapman has Enloe moving up: Poobie Chapman was a standout basketball player at Enloe High School before playing at N.C. Central University, but in 2018, Chapman became the Enloe basketball coach. The Eagles have struggled in recent years, but Enloe made noticeable improvements last season. That momentum has clearly carried over to this season as the Eagles currently sit at 10-1.
Celebrating success
Nivar named McDonald’s All-American: Apex Friendship High School senior guard and Stanford commit Indya Nivar was named to the McDonald’s All-American Game in January. Nivar was a five-star recruit and led her team to an appearance in the 4A state championship game. She went on to be named the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year.
Jaybron Harvey’s 28-sack season: During the spring football period, we caught up with Southern Durham defensive end Jaybron Harvey who was coming off a national-best 28-sack season. Harvey was fielding numerous offers, and went on to sign with UNC.
Cardinal Gibbons gets rings: Cardinal Gibbons’ football team won the school’s first football state championship in 2021. They received a lot of attention after literally walking to the state championship game from the school — a short walk across the street to Carter-Finley Stadium. Earlier this year, the Crusaders made the same walk back to Carter-Finley where they received their state championship rings.
Bigger things at stake at Douglas Byrd: Early in the football season, Douglas Byrd lost a game to Goldsboro by a 6-4 score. Two safeties and a touchdown. It sparked a lot of jokes about baseball scores on social media, but for Douglas Byrd, there’s more at stake. The Eagles are trying to rebuild their athletic department. Byrd has not had a winning season since 2013, and in the nine seasons since, they’ve won just 11 games. So every little step forward is progress. Starting the season 1-1 was progress.
Terry Sanford’s miraculous grab: One of the most memorable plays in the football playoffs came in the second round when Terry Sanford defeated Scotland on a walk-off Hail Mary. On fourth down and with just a few seconds left, senior Patrick Shook made the biggest catch of his high school career.
Pride of the Pride: Laney Choboy is a talented libero at Leesville Road, but she hasn’t played for her high school in recent years. Choboy has been playing with the national team, meaning she couldn’t play for Leesville Road. That changed this season as she suited up for the Pride.
“Big I” brand of football: Independence football coach Darryl McFadden was the quarterback of the Patriots’ 2005 and 2006 state championship teams — the last two teams to win state titles at Independence during the school’s historic run of seven in a row. Independence fell on hard times, but McFadden, who took over the program two years ago, has things back on track.
Alumni news
Former NC players in the Final Four: Duke and UNC met in the Final Four in what was a historic meeting between the two, but there was another headline: 12 different North Carolina high school basketball alums played in the Final Four this year. UNC featured seven players from North Carolina, Duke had four, Kansas had one, but Villanova didn’t have any. Bobby Pettiford of South Granville went on to win a national title with the Jayhawks.
From community college to the SEC: Paul Gervase was a high school baseball player at Harnett Central High School. He went on to play college baseball at the Division III and community college level, but this past season he was a standout pitcher for LSU in the SEC.
9 former NC players selected in NFL Draft: The number of former North Carolina high school football players who are on NFL rosters continues to climb. This past spring, nine players who played high school football in North Carolina were selected in the NFL Draft, led by Ikem Ekwonu of Providence Day who was selected sixth overall by the Carolina Panthers.
East Forsyth’s Xavier Isaac selected in 1st round of MLB Draft: East Forsyth first baseman Xavier Isaac was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 29th overall pick. As a senior for the Eagles, Isaac hit .578 with 12 home runs and 28 runs batted in.
Dexter Lawrence’s jersey retired: Wake Forest High School held a ceremony to retire the jersey of Dexter Lawrence, one of the top football players to ever come out of Wake County. Lawrence went on to play at Clemson where he was a national champion, then was drafted by the New York Giants. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl this season.
Our takes and insight
We should embrace NIL: What may have been one of the most controversial columns on HighSchoolOT this year, I argue that the writing is on the wall — NIL is coming to high school sports and we should embrace it. By getting in front of it and putting regulations around it now, we can prevent a wild west scenario like we’re seeing in the NCAA. There’s precedent too. Many other state associations are allowing NIL in high school sports already.
A quick fix needed for postponed game policy: Football games that are suspended because of inclement weather must be completed or one team will forfeit. It’s the only sport that is handled this way. J. Mike Blake explains the current policy, why it is the way it is, and how it should change.
What sport could be next?: We know that girls wrestling is coming on board as a sanctioned sport next year, but what sport could be next? J. Mike Blake explores the possibilities.
Forfeits shouldn’t tank two teams’ seasons: During the volleyball season, we saw two teams in Fayetteville barred from the playoffs because of one team’s forfeit. J. Mike Blake explains how it happened and what should be done to prevent it in the future.
Small town sports
Whiteville: the baseball capital of NC: What Kinston is to boys basketball and Tarboro is to football, so too is Whiteville to baseball. Whiteville has about 5,300 residents, but 14 players who have played professional baseball and 12 who have been drafted.
Can Pisgah go home again?: In 2021, the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred caused devastating flooding in the mountain town of Canton. The flood destroyed many of the athletic facilities at the school, including the football stadium. Pisgah has not had a home game in two years, and it may be awhile before they have another one.
The power of positivity in Harnett County: In a county that has never won a state championship in any sport, Overhills football coach Kerry Bacon knew he’d have to change his approach after coaching in Durham and Guilford counties. Bacon said he’s focused on positivity and getting kids to believe in one another. “Things are changing around here,” Bacon said. J. Mike Blake has the story.
Montgomery Central finding its identity: After merging two high schools into one, Montgomery Central has struggled to figure out who it is. In his second year as the head football coach, Chris Metzger is beginning to see that change though. Metzger helped lead Pinecrest from the brink of ending its football program to one of the top programs in the 4A East. Now he’s hoping to help Montgomery Central find similar success.
Mattamuskeet’s “Heroes of Hyde County”: Getting football back at Mattamuskeet High School as not been easy, but this fall, with one last chance, they did it. Mattamuskeet played 8-man football this season, something that has not been done in the NCHSAA since the 1960s. The school had not fielded a team since 2017, and if it didn’t happen this year, it was ready to throw in the towel.
New schools, new teams, new sports
The Pumas of Palisades: The newest high school in North Carolina unveiled a unique mascot — the Palisades Pumas. Palisades opened this fall in Charlotte, located in the southwestern corner of Mecklenburg County. The school opened to just 9th-11th graders this year.
Willow Spring gets first football win: Willow Spring picked up its first ever varsity football win in early September, defeating Seaforth 49-0 on a Thursday night. Willow Spring is the newest high school in Wake County.
John Paul II moving to 11-man football: A member of the NCISAA, John Paul II will transition from playing eight-man football to 11-man football. The change will happen in the fall of 2023, the school announced. Head coach and athletic director Sean Murphy told HighSchoolOT it was a progression as the program continues to grow.
Southeast Alamance Stallions: There will be a new high school joining the NCHSAA in the fall of 2023. Southeast Alamance High School released its logo and mascot. The school will be nicknamed the Stallions.
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