Davidson Day names basketball coach

Joel Justus is Davidson Day's
new boys' basketball coach -
COURTESY OF DAVIDSON DAY

Davidson Day named Joel Justus as its new boys’ basketball coach Friday.

Justus, who will also serve as the school’s dean of students, has coached Woodberry Forrest (Va.) for four seasons. He guided that team to a Virginia Prep League regular season title in 2010 and two appearances in the conference championship game during his stint at the school. This past season, Woodberry Forrest was 10-15 (7-5 in conference).

"We were seeking to hire not only an outstanding basketball coach but a dynamic and high integrity mentor of students," said Bonnie Cotter, Davidson Day's head of school, in a statement. "That is exactly what we found in Joel and I feel privileged to be having the opportunity to bring him to our school for the benefit of all our students and families."

Six players coached by Justus will be playing collegiate basketball in the 2012 season, including four at the Division One level.

Justus is a 2004 graduate of UNC Wilmington, where he played basketball and was part of two NCAA tournament teams.

Before his tenure at Woodberry Forrest, Justus served as an assistant basketball coach at Elon.

Justus, a Winston-Salem native, replaces Ron Johnson, who announced his departure in March to take an assistant job at Marist College (N.Y.).

"The excitement and vision at the school is contagious and I am excited to be a Patriot," said Justus in a statement.

Lacrosse playoff brackets released

The boys' and girls' lacrosse championship brackets were released Wednesday by the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

On the boys' side, Lake Norman and Lake Norman Charter reached the playoffs from Conference 10.

The Wildcats, the conference champions, will host Providence Friday. Lake Norman has started the year with an 18-0 record.

Lake Norman Charter, the conference runners-up, will travel to Morganton Patton Friday. The Knights finished the regular season with a 13-5 record.

Lake Norman and Hough, the No. 2 and 3 seeds out of Conference 7 respectively, are the lone area qualifiers in the girls' championships.

The Lady Huskies (10-5) will travel to Marvin Ridge, while the Wildcats  host Northwest Guilford  for first-round action Friday.

Myers Park, the Conference 7 champions, have a first-round bye.

Check out the full  boys' and girls' brackets by following the links.

NCHSAA approves soccer mercy rule, 12-week football schedule

From the NCHSAA:

CHAPEL HILL-- The N.C. High School Athletic Association Board of Directors completed its spring Board meeting on Wednesday at the NCHSAA offices. Items which the Board studied and approved included:

- adoption of a "mercy rule" in soccer; if a goal differential of nine is reached by halftime or at any time in the second half, the game shall be terminated, to go into effect for 2012-13; at least one half of game must be completed

-  approved going back to 12 weeks to play 11 football games, starting with 2013 season, and approved two-year football calendar for 2013 and '14

- approved additional scheduling allowance for wrestling for one tri meet and one "multi team event" per week

- approved moving starting date for two-pound growth allowance for wrestling from January 1 to December 25

-approval of four booking agents, including Mark Kadlecik in soccer, Triangle Officials Association; Leigh Harris in wrestling, Mountain Officials Association; David Culbreth in wrestling, Southeastern Officials Association; Brad Allen in basketball, Southeastern Officials Association

-approved requiring each non-faculty coach and newly hired coaches to take "Fundamentals of Coaching" course through the National Federation to coach a team at an NCHSAA school; recommend all coaching staffs be certified in this area within three years

-added fine of $250 to Handbook if schools have non-compliant uniforms to NFHS rule codes

- discussed NCHSAA's 100th Anniversary Celebration and timeline of events

- approved additional ways to return additional revenue to member schools; take operating budget overage and also review any extra interest income from Endowment, and half of that, based on a formula, will be distributed to schools which participated in bracketed team sports playoffs. Schools traveling would receive full share, hosting school would receive half share

- adopted structured rate of expense reimbursements for football playoffs from first round through regionals

- reviewed 2011-12 budget

- approved four-year contract for commissioner

- approved NCHSAA strategic plan after presentation from Dr. Larry Price, who helped to facilitate the process

- a report from Paige King of Eastern Alamance High School of the NCHSAA's Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC)

For a final list of 2013-17 conferences, visit the NCHSAA's realignment page.

I-Meck teams have mixed luck in tennis playoffs

Lake Norman defeated Davie County 6-3, while Hough dropped a 5-2 decision to Greensboro Page in the first round of the 4A boys' tennis dual-team playoffs Tuesday.

The Wildcats, the I-Meck champions, will host Greensboro Grimsley May 8.

Lake Norman Charter, which had a first-round bye in the 1A bracket, will host Mt. Airy May 8.

Tennis dual-team playoffs get under way

Three Lake Norman-area boys' tennis teams will take part in first-round playoff matches Tuesday afternoon.

In 4A, Hough and Lake Norman were the two I-Meck qualifiers. The Huskies, which finished second in the conference, will travel to Greensboro Page. They are led by No. 1 Ryan Wydra, a sophomore, and No. 2 Collin Black, a senior.

The regular-season champion Wildcats host Davie County. They're led by freshman Greg Dow, the conference tournament runner-up, as well as junior Shravan Rajan.

In the 1A tournament, Lake Norman Charter earned a first-round bye. The team will face the winner of the Mt. Airy-East Wilkes match May 8.

For full boys' tennis dual-team brackets, visit the NCHSAA website.

The individual boys' tennis regional tournaments take place Friday and Saturday. The 1A West tournament will be held at Jackson Park in Hendersonville, while the 2A West regional will be held at Brevard College. Hough will host the 4A West regional.

Playoff schedule

The boys' tennis dual-team playoffs are just the first of many postseason tournaments getting under way in the coming weeks. Here is the full NCHSAA playoff schedule.

Boys' golf
Regional:  May 7
State: May 14-15


Boys' tennis
Individual
Regional:  May 4-5
State: May 11-12

Dual team
1st round: May 1
District: May 8
Sectional: May 14
Regional: May 16
State: May 19

Track and field
1A/2A
Regional: May 5
State: May 11-12

3A/4A
Regional: May 12
State: May 18-19

Lacrosse
1st round: May 4
District: May 8
Sectional: May 11
Regional: May 15
State: May18-19

Girls' soccer
1st round: May 9
2nd round: May 12
District: May 16
Sectional: May 19
Regional: May 23
State: May 25-26

Softball
1st round: May 11
2nd round: May 15
District: May 18
Sectional: May 22
Regional: May 24-26
State: June 1-2

Baseball
1st round: May 11
2nd round: May 15
District: May 18
Sectional: May 22
Regional: May 24-26
State: June 1-2

Stay tuned for the independent school schedule later in the week.

I-Meck tournament schedule announced

May 3 - First round at higher seeds

May 4 - I-Meck semifinals
4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Mallard Creek High

May 7 - Finals
7:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte

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.