East Chapel Hill boys and girls tennis coach Lindsey Linker and former Cary wrestling coach Jerry Winterton will be honored as the N.C. High School Athletic Association coaches of the year during the organization's annual meeting on Thursday at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
The awards are given for longtime excellence.
Linker has led teams to 16 state dual-team championships and compiled a 787-102 overall dual-team record. She has been named the conference coach of the year 33 times.
Winterton built a 642-34 dual-match record in his career, including a 620-16 mark at Cary. His teams won 11 state tournament championships and eight dual-team titles. He has announced his retirement.
State awards also will be presented to Fred McDaniel, athletic director in Cumberland County; Kathy Rogers, principal of Jamestown Ragsdale; Robert Logan, Chatham County superintendent; George Phillips of the ncpreptrack.com Internet site; and Tracy Hefner, athletic trainer at East Burke.
Courage Awards: Nathan Baker of Green Hope and Tyler Forsythe of Apex will receive the NCHSAA's Courage Awards during its annual meeting Thursday. The Courage Awards honor individuals who have overcome adversity and have demonstrated exemplary character and performance.
Baker was born with a hearing deficiency and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was an infant. Nevertheless, he ran on the Falcons' cross country team for four years, posting a career-best time of 24:49 last fall.
Forsythe was blinded when he was 3 years old after being attacked by a tiger owned by his father. As a four-year wrestler at Apex, Baker recorded more than 80 victories.
Bugg helps U.S. team: Madison Bugg, a 6-foot sophomore at Cardinal Gibbons, was named the outstanding setter following the USA U-19 Youth National Team's volleyball title in the NORCECA Continental Championships in Guatemala last week.
The U.S. team was undefeated in the tournament of teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean. Bugg had 31 assists and eight digs in the club's 25-19, 25-21, 15-25, 25-17 victory over Mexico in the finals.
Earlier this year, Bugg was named the Gatorade volleyball player of the year in North Carolina.
Winning streak: Wake Forest-Rolesville's softball conference winning streak of 106 games brought to mind South Granville's slow-pitch dominance in the 1980s and 1990s. Coach Jimmy Flemings won 178 straight conference games over a 12-year period.
Wayne Hagwood mailed a clipping from The Smithfield Herald that reported the Granville string began in 1983 and continued until May 3, 1995 when Clayton defeated South Granville 6-3.
Fleming's reaction at the time? "It had to happen sooner or later. It happens to everybody," he said.
LeMay picks Georgia: Charlotte Butler quarterback Christian LeMay, the top-ranked high school football prospect in North Carolina, committed to Georgia last week. He picked the Bulldogs over Auburn, Clemson, Notre Dame and Texas.
"I felt in my spirit that's where I need to be," LeMay said
LeMay threw for 3,296 yards and 44 touchdowns last season while leading Butler to a 15-0 season and the NCHSAA 4-AA football championship. He was the N.C. Gatorade state player of the year.
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