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Late Wednesday afternoon, the Henderson Collegiate Pride was announced as the state co-champions in 1-A men’s basketball. Head coach George Marshall had already appeared earlier in the day on WIZS Sports Mayhem with Kemp Collins and Ron Noel at 1 p.m. to make another big announcement.
Our Trey Snide of WIZS has the audio update…
The Panthers drafted seven defensive players, and the general reports indicate it was a successful plan, including those from Matt Rhule, the new head coach, and from General Manager Marty Hurney.
Mick Mixon, play by play announcer of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, joined WIZS TownTalk on Monday to discuss the latest NFL draft.
Of the present internal disruption within the Panthers organization, with a new coach, new owner and a lot of player turnover, Mixon spoke also of the present world disruption of covid-19 and said, “You can count on me not to over dramatize athletics…It really doesn’t mean that much when set against the backdrop of nurses and doctors and scientists and healthcare workers and the really essential things in life.
“However, let’s just call this too for what it is. In the south, football isn’t just what we do. It’s part of who we are, and it’s part of how we come together. So, I think we’re kind of starving for a little bit of football. At least that’s the way it feels to me around Panther Nation, and the draft was great. Just to be able to have some new Panthers, how about that? Seven new draft picks, all defensive players.”
With the NFC South loaded with talented quarterbacks like Drew Brees and now Tom Brady, the Panthers’ selections being all defensive, while it was not the plan, indicates the importance of improving the defense now as expressed by the Panthers’ leadership and their draft board.
The NFL logo and the overall organization has to be top 1o in terms of global recognition and branding, but it’s not too big to fail. Mixon said, “I think what we may need to do is be patient. I think the NFL needs to not put a stake in the ground (after a successful draft), and say, ‘Boy, thank Goodness that’s over. Happy days are here again.’ There’s a lot of distancing yet, a lot of work, a lot of sand that needs to sift through the hour glass so to speak, but I know conversations have been held about — What would the world be like with a shortened season? What would the world be like with games with no fans in the stands. These are hard pills to swallow.”
The NFL will figure it out, Mixon said, and right now time is on the side of professional football.
Full Interview Audio:
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-Information courtesy NCHSAA
North Carolina High School Athletic Association Commissioner (NCHSAA) Que Tucker offered the following statement on the NCHSAA website:
In keeping with Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement today that the public schools of North Carolina will be closed to in-person learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has canceled all remaining winter championships and spring sports.
“Today’s decision is difficult for the NCHSAA Board of Directors and Staff. We empathize with the thousands of student-athletes, especially graduating seniors, coaching staff, officials and family members affected by this decision,” said NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker. “However, this decision reflects a commitment to keeping our student-athletes, officials and member schools’ staffs and their communities safe, while following the guidelines provided by the Governor and his team, along with the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.”
“We had maintained hope for a conclusion to our State Basketball Championships and a modified spring sports season to help return a sense of normalcy to our communities,” continued Tucker. “Now, as we continue to deal with this difficult time, we must do so by applying the lessons that education-based athletics teaches us: cooperation, patience, sacrifice, responsibility, perseverance and resilience. Together, we will be able to put a “W” in the win column!”
The NCHSAA Board of Directors, in its meeting next week, will discuss finalizing the state basketball playoffs, policies for summer activities, as well as address academic eligibility concerns for Fall 2020.
For more information, please visit the NCHSAA site at www.nchsaa.org.
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Would Your Child Compete If Sports Resume Before End Of School Year?
Answer on the WIZS Twitter Feed or Facebook Page
Suppose stay at home and various restrictions are lifted soon enough for local and middle school and high school sports to salvage the end of their spring seasons. Are you going to allow your child / dependent to compete in organized sports?
— WIZS (@WIZSRadio) April 13, 2020
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-Press Release, NCHSAA
Due to the threat from COVID-19, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has made the decision to postpone the 2020 Men’s and Women’s Basketball State Championships indefinitely.
“As much as we would like this opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and their communities, we know that ultimately any decision we make must err on the side of caution,” said Commissioner Que Tucker.
The Board of Directors also moved to suspend interscholastic athletics beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, through at least Monday, April 6, 2020. The NCHSAA Board of Directors will assess this situation regularly over the next few weeks. This includes all workouts, skill development, practices and contests.
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-Press Release, Vance County High School
The Vance County Board of Education has approved Edwin J. Campbell, Jr. as the new head football coach at Vance County High School.
Coach Campbell comes to Vance County with an impressive football background. A Raleigh native, Campbell attended Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School, where he was a standout varsity defensive back and team captain. Campbell also played college football at Elizabeth City State University before earning his degree at Winston-Salem State University.
Campbell later returned to Southeast Raleigh as the varsity defensive coordinator, marking the beginning of his coaching career. Since then, Campbell has coached for several of North Carolina’s most elite football programs, holding positions such as interim head coach, assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and special teams coordinator.
Most recently, Campbell was an assistant coach for 3-time state champion Wake Forest High School under Head Coach Reggie Lucas. The Cougars finished the 2019 season 12-2 overall, losing in the 4AA Eastern Regional Final. Prior to his stint at Wake Forest, Campbell helped lead Zebulon B. Vance High School of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to two 4AA Western Regional Finals.
In 2018, as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, Campbell was instrumental in helping Zebulon B. Vance reach its first-ever state championship game. Following the departure of Zebulon B. Vance Head Coach Aaron Brand, Coach Campbell also became the interim head coach at Zebulon B. Vance.
Campbell has also held coordinator positions with varsity football teams at East Wake and Leesville Road high schools in the Wake County Public School System.
“We took our time and did our due diligence while searching for our new head football coach,” Athletic Director Joe Sharrow said of the coaching search. “We ultimately believe that Coach Campbell is uniquely equipped with the experience and expertise that makes him the right fit for our school and what we needed at this time. I am fully confident in his ability to benefit the lives of our student-athletes and be an extremely successful coach for us.”
Campbell will replace Darry Ragland, who resigned in January after leading the Vipers to a 13-10 record over two seasons. The Vipers graduated seventeen seniors and are expecting many new contributors at key positions.
“I am excited and appreciative that Principal Rey Horner and Athletic Director Joe Sharrow have put their trust in me to lead the Vance County Vipers football program,” Campbell said in a statement. “I look forward to meeting the players and guiding them, not only to be their best on the football field but also their best in this community as great examples of how positive young men conduct themselves.” Campbell continued, “I am confident that by leading a team with the right attitude, structure, and the support of the community, we will build a football program that will make Vance County proud.”
Vance County High School will introduce Coach Campbell, wife Chernessa Campbell, and son Edwin J. Campbell III (Tre) at a community meet and greet on Thursday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. All community members, current and former players, parents, fans, media, and anyone interested in Viper Football are encouraged to attend.
The Vipers will open the 2020 football season on the road at Bunn High School on August 21. They will play their first game at home the following week in the County Line Clash against Warren County High School on August 28.
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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Program Superintendent, Aycock Recreation Center
Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks has extended the deadline to register for youth spring baseball, softball and teeball through Sunday, March 22, 2020.
Teeball is open to ages 4-6; playing age is determined as of May 1, 2020.
Baseball is open to ages 7 – 18; playing age is determined as of May 1, 2020.
Softball is open to ages 6 – 16; playing age is determined as of January 1, 2020.
Cost: Vance County Residents – $40; Non Residents – $60
Register at the Aycock Rec. Center during normal business hours and ask about fee waiver eligibility. Travel may be required for some games.
For more information, please contact Darius Pitt at dpitt@ci.henderson.nc.us, (252) 438-3408 or Tara Goolsby at tgoolsby@ci.henderson.nc.us, (252) 438-3948.
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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm
