Huss, Cramer propose Gaston County conference

Gaston County school administrators lobbied Monday to keep the county’s seven largest high schools together in one athletic conference.

Representatives from several schools and the Gaston County Schools central office banded together to propose a 2A/3A conference during the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s West Region realignment meeting at Maiden High School.

The proposed conference includes six Class 3A schools (Ashbrook, East Gaston, Forestview, North Gaston, South Point and North Lincoln) and two 2A schools (Hunter Huss and new Gaston County school Stuart Cramer, which opens in the fall of 2013).

The next realignment will go into effect in the fall of 2013 and will last four years.

The Gaston County proposal was a response to a plan drafted last month by the NCHSAA staff that sent Hunter Huss and Cramer to a 2A conference with Chase, East Rutherford, Polk County, R-S Central and Shelby. Gaston County representatives spoke out against that draft, citing lost class time and increased travel expenses associated with longer trips for conference games. They also said it’s important to put natural rivals in the same conference.

Hunter Huss principal Denece Farris has academic concerns with that league and told the realignment committee that extra travel relative to Huss’ current conference would result in missed class time and higher travel expense. Farris said lost academic time would result in lower grades for student-athletes.

“That’s one of the things they live for (sports), and they know they need good grades to be able to play,” Farris said.

Ashbrook athletic director Chad Duncan added rivalries as another argument for the Gaston County proposal. Duncan said if Hunter Huss leaves the current Big South 3A Conference, then Ashbrook and Hunter Huss would no longer be able to play football at the end of the regular season, resulting in a potential decrease in revenue from a typically big money-maker. Duncan also spoke up for the new school Cramer, which doesn’t have a principal or athletic director yet. The new school needs a chance in its early years to develop natural rivalries with its neighboring schools, Duncan said.

It’s uncertain whether Cramer will phase in students on a two- or three-year plan, Gaston County Schools assistant superintendent Mark Hollar said Monday. Therefore, it’s uncertain which junior varsity and varsity sports the school will initially offer. Duncan said a Gaston County conference would be better suited to accommodate the new school’s needs compared to a conference with a good number of schools outside the county.

To make the Gaston County conference work, Hunter Huss athletic director Terry Radford also proposed this 2A/3A conference: Chase, East Rutherford, Shelby, R-S Central, Polk County, Burns, Crest and Kings Mountain.

Although the realignment committee didn’t offer feedback to any of the proposals presented Monday, the Gaston County plan received a mix response from other schools.

The athletic directors at Crest and Kings Mountain said they would be satisfied with either proposal involving their schools, although Kings Mountain’s Dustin Morehead said the NCHSAA draft is better.

“We have a little bit of concern about having to go to Polk County if that turns out,” Morehead said. “That’s 45 miles one way. … The Big South is the best of both worlds for us because it’s close and it’s competitive.”

Although the Gaston County proposal received no vocal opposition from other school representatives in the 3A portion of Monday’s meeting, it did hit resistance in the 2A meeting when East Rutherford’s principal and athletic director took the podium and spoke against it.

Cavaliers athletic director Bobby Reynolds said he supported the NCHSAA staff draft because it puts East Rutherford in an all-2A conference. In regards to the Gaston County proposal, Reynolds said it would be unfair for his school with an 816-student enrollment to enter a split-classification league that includes much larger schools such as Kings Mountain with 1,313 students.

Gaston County folks had already been in touch with North Lincoln athletic director Jon Carpenter prior to Monday. Carpenter said the Gaston County proposal presents a better situation for his school than does the NCHSAA staff draft that puts the Knights in a 3A/4A league with six Iredell County schools and Alexander Central. Carpenter said the Gaston County proposal would save his athletic budget $3,000 to $3,500 in travel expenses across the major sports.

Monday’s meeting was less eventful for the area’s other schools.

Cherryville athletic director Alan Mauldin stood briefly at the podium and told the committee he preferred his school to stay in its current Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference with Cherryville, Highland Tech and the four Lincoln County schools.

In the NCHSAA draft, the Ironmen are slated to join Bessemer City, Highland Tech, Christ the King, Community School of Davidson, Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln Charter and Pine Lake Prep in a 1A conference.

A representative from Mitchell presented one proposal that Mitchell join Avery, Cherryville, Bessemer City and Highland Tech.

West Lincoln athletic director Wayne Navey spoke on behalf of his school, East Lincoln and Lincolnton on their desire to remain with the NCHSAA staff model that puts them with Bandys, Bunker Hill, Lake Norman Charter, Maiden and Newton-Conover.

Phillip Gardner: 704-869-1843; twitter.com/gazettephil