Rivalry game to raise money for cancer charities

Lake Norman hosts Mooresville Tuesday night with a lot on the line, not only playing for position in the I-Meck 4A standings, but also looking to raise money to fight cancer in the Wildcats’ annual Strike Out Cancer Classic.

The game's proceeds will be donated to 24 Hours of Booty, LIVESTRONG's 24-hour cycling events that raise funds for local and national cancer charities. Charlotte's event, which will take place July 27-28, benefits the Levine Cancer Institute among other area organizations.

Both teams will wear special jerseys, featuring the 24 Hours of Booty logo, that will be auctioned off following the game. Lake Norman will wear yellow jerseys, supporting people suffering from sarcoma and bone cancers, while Mooresville will wear green, supporting those diagnosed with lymphoma.

The game, which is slated to start 7 p.m., will also have an impact in the I-Meck championship race. Mooresville, which is only one game behind first-place Hough with a 9-3 conference record, needs to win to stay in the hunt.

"We knew it was going to come down to this," said Mooresville coach Jeff Burchett. "We're set where we thought we should be. We have a chance to win it, and that's all we can ask."

 Lake Norman, which is fourth in the conference standings with an 8-4 I-Meck record, also wants to improve their position in the standings on their senior night Tuesday, but they will need some help. Hough plays Mallard Creek, which is tied for second place in the conference with a 9-3 league record, this week.

"Anything can happen," said Lake Norman coach Robert Little. "We're pulling for Mallard Creek now, unfortunately, but we've got to take care of our own business."

NCHSAA members voting on parochial, charter schools

Raleigh News & Observer prep writer Tim Stevens reports that the N.C. High School Athletic Association is allowing its 390 members to vote on whether parochial schools, such as Charlotte Catholic and soon-to-open Christ the King, can remain members of the public school association.

Members are also voting on whether charter schools, such as Lake Norman Charter and Pine Lake Prep, will get their own playoffs. The proposal would allow these schools to stay in their respective conferences, but would force the schools to play other charter schools if any of their sports teams qualify for the postseason.

The NCHSAA allows non-boarding parochial schools to be members and charter schools, which are public schools, to play along with other member schools in the playoffs, but the organization was prompted to vote on the issues following a request from Salisbury, West Rowan, East Rowan, South Rowan, North Rowan and China Grove Carson.

Salisbury High athletic director Joe Pinyan told the N&O that the main issue is the lack of geographical boundaries for parochial and charter schools.

“Our students come from a specific area. Theirs do not. Their players can come from anywhere," Pinyan told the N&O. “It is not a level playing field.”

Member schools have until April 24 to return the ballots.