Board to get report

Task force looked into concussions

The N.C. High School Athletic Association Board of Directors is expected to receive recommendations today from a special task force investigating concussions.

North Carolina had two high school football players die from traumatic brain injuries this season.

The NCHSAA responded by creating the task force, which is led by Kevin Guskiewicz, one of the nation's top concussion specialists.

Charlie Adams, the executive director of the NCHSAA, expects the task force to make recommendations that will include:

A. Requiring a certified athletic trainer at each high school.

B. Requiring any athlete who has a concussion be held out of practice and competition until a physician clears the athlete to play.

C. Requiring athletes in most sports to have a baseline assessment before the season to help evaluate brain injuries.

D. Requiring coaches and athletes to have mandatory training about concussions.

BOND ADDED TO SHRINE TEAM: Travis Bond, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive lineman at Bertie, has been added to the North Carolina squad for the Shrine Bowl.

Bond is a nationally prominent recruit with several offers, including Michigan, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia Tech and East Carolina.

Bond is replacing Chapel Hill's Rodney Torain, who was killed in an automobile accident.

BRITT STOPS RUSH: Fayetteville Britt, which plays Wake Forest-Rolesville on Friday in the 4-AA Eastern final, was impressive on defense in a 24-7 win over Hope Mills South View.

Britt held South View to 16 yards rushing. South View had 131 yards passing, but only 29 in the second half, and both completions came in the final 78 seconds.

FAYETTEVILLE FLEXES MUSCLES: Cumberland County schools could have three teams in the state 4-AA and 4-A championship games.

In addition to Britt, which plays Wake Forest-Rolesville in the 4-AA Eastern final, Fayetteville Byrd and Fayetteville Seventy-First are still in the hunt for state titles.

Fayetteville Byrd was 1-10 in 2007 but advanced to the Eastern 4-A final with a 30-27 win over Fayetteville Cape Fear.

If the Eagles can win at Durham Hillside on Friday, they would face either Fayetteville Seventy-First or South Mecklenburg for the 4-A title.

Seventy-First was sent West this year to help fill that bracket.

Byrd lost to Seventy-First 27-14 during the regular season.

Interestingly, Seventy-First is coached by Bob Paroli, the former Byrd coach. In fact, Byrd's stadium is Bob Paroli Field.

STRIKINGLY SIMILAR: Fayetteville Britt and Wake Forest-Rolesville are remarkably close in scoring and defensive statistics.

Britt has scored one more point -- 502 points to 501 -- in 14 games. Wake Forest has given up two less points -- 152-154.

The teams have identical winning margins, 24.9 points.