South Point's Devine reaches a milestone

BELMONT — South Point head coach John Devine joined select company in Gaston County prep football history Friday night when he became the fifth 100-game winner.

Red Raiders cheerleaders commemorated Devine’s accomplishment by unfurling a banner in his honor late in the fourth quarter of South Point’s 55-20 win over Kings Mountain in the first round of the N.C. 3AA playoffs.

Devine said the milestone has more to do with the continuity of his coaching staff and the hard work of his players since he became South Point’s head coach in 1996.

“It just means we’ve had a lot of good football players and coaches that have worked their tails off,” said Devine, who has guided South Point to a 100-46-1 record in his 12 years as head coach. “Our staff has been incredible and they work so hard and so well together.”

Five staffers — Robbie Barger, Mickey Lineberger, Mike McWhirter, Phil Tate and Jeff Williams — have been on Devine’s staff each of his 12 seasons. Three others — Brian Andrews, Scott Lee and Mike Patton — have been on the staff for at least seven years.

“I honestly don’t think of this as an individual thing,” Devine said. “We as a staff think the only win that’s important is next Friday night. Because, if you’re impressed with what happened yesterday, you won’t do anything today.”

Nonetheless, Devine became the first county coach to surpass 100 head coaching wins in 26 years.

The last to do it?

South Point’s first head football coach, Jim Biggerstaff, who won his 100th game in 1981 before finishing with a 143-74-7 record when he retired following the 1989 season.

Top Gaston coaching winners

The records of the five 100-game high school football coaching winners in Gaston County history:

164-134-21 — Dick Thompson, Mount Holly-Stanley-East Gaston (1942-74)

143-74-7 — Jim Biggerstaff, South Point (1969-89)

118-64-14 — Eugene L. Dunn, Highland (1938-59)

115-47-9 — Shu Carlton, Ashley-Ashbrook (1957-72)

100-46-1 — John Devine, South Point (1996-2007)