Prineton High School is state 1-A sportsmanship winner

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 25, 2004 1:55 PM

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CHAPEL HILL-- The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the winners of its ninth annual NCHSAA Student Services Sportsmanship Awards.

The winners for the 2003-2004 academic year include Princeton High School in the 1-A classification, while East Bladen High School and North Wilkes High School were co-winners among 2-A schools.

Triton High School was named the winner among 3-A schools. There was no award made in the 4-A classification.

To be eligible for the Student Services Sportsmanship Awards, schools had to meet three criteria. First of all, the school could have no players or coaches ejected from any athletic contest during the course of the 2003-2004 academic year. The school also had to receive an overall positive rating from the game officials and booking agents who actually work with the school's athletic program.

Finally, the school had to submit an outline or written action plan of how it attempts to promote sportsmanship and positive behavior at its events, and those plans were evaluated by a special committee.

Que Tucker, associate executive director of the NCHSAA and director of the Association's Student Services Division, noted that a whopping 157 schools, almost half of the NCHSAA membership, went ejection free in 2003-2004. That is the best ever, up from 149 the year before and 114 schools in 2001-2002.

"We are certainly pleased to recognize these schools as winners of this honor," said Tucker. "It is part of our continuing commitment to provide opportunities and recognize schools which are promoting the kind of behavior we want to see as part of a wholesome athletic environment."

Several other schools continued long streaks without a single player or coach ejected.

Among 1-A schools, Highlands completed its 10th year without an ejection, while the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton finished eight years and Midway now has seven. Nantahala has had six straight years and Chatham Central five in a row.

In the 2-A classification, Southwest Onslow is working on a string of five consecutive years. Mitchell, Northwest Halifax and Greene Central each have had four straight unblemished years.

At the 3-A level, Mooresville has been without an ejection for four straight years while Southern Durham, North Gaston, Shelby Crest, Nswton Fred T. Foard and Statesville have enjoyed three consecutive ejection-free years.

Among 4-A schools, Fuquay-Varina and Winston-Salem R.J. Reynolds completed four consecutive ejection-free years and Charlotte E.E. Waddell has had three straight.

All schools with no ejections for the year will receive a certificate of recognition. Those schools include:

Region 2 (18 schools): 1-A: Jones Senior, Midway, North Brunswick, North Duplin, Pamlico; 2-A: Newport Croatan, East Carteret, Greene Central, North Lenoir, Northside (Onslow), Richlands, South Lenoir, Southwest Onslow; 3-A: Pikeville Charles B. Aycock, Pender, Southern Wayne, Jacksonville White Oak; 4-A: Havelock.

Region 3 (30 schools): 1-A: Durham School of the Arts, Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf, Franklinton, North Edgecombe, North Johnston, Northampton-West, Princeton, Raleigh Charter; 2-A: Cedar Ridge, Northwest Halifax, Roanoke Rapids, Southeast Halifax, Warren County; 3-A: Wilson Hunt, Nash Central, Orange, Southern Durham, West Johnston; 4-A: Apex, Cary, East Wake, Fuquay-Varina, Durham Jordan, Raleigh Leesville Road, Raleigh Middle Creek, Raleigh Millbrook, Rocky Mount, Southeast Raleigh, Raleigh Wakefield, Wake Forest-Rolesville.