Home Care In Pinecrest, NC

Pinecrest High School football coach Chris Metzger will not be terminated by Moore County Schools despite an investigation into rules violations that led to the school forfeiting all but one game from the 2015 season.

Moore County Schools announced the decision in a press release on Tuesday, ending the investigation.

Superintendent Dr. Bob Grimesey hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation after eligibility violations surround junior varsity players playing varsity football led to the forfeiture of the football season and $5,000 in fines. The N.C. High School Athletic Association also put Pinecrest on probation.

“No matter what any of us have accomplished in the past, all public servants remain accountable for their actions in the present. None of us, especially the superintendent and others in leadership, ever become so big or so important that we are incapable of failure" Grimesey said in a statement. "We always must remain vigilant in paying attention to details, especially those that can result in significant loss of opportunity for students, the loss of public or contributed funds or the loss of public trust."

The investigation included a number of interviews with people involved in the violations, including Metzger and athletic director Ernie Purnsley.

Grimesey said the violations would have given him sufficient reasoning to terminate both Metzger and Purnsley, but after the investigation concluded, he decided they could be part of the solution.

“In my subsequent meetings with Mr. Purnsley and Coach Metzger, I appreciated their candor, their willingness to accept responsibility and their willingness to sign their names to plans intended to ensure improved institutional control and more effective attention to regulatory details. Based on those assurances, I have elected to allow them to continue their employment with Moore County Schools," Grimesey said.

According to Moore County Schools, Metzger and Purnsley have publicly accepted responsibility for the violations and each of them will pay half of the $5,000 fine levied against the school. They are also on probation with the school system through Dec. 31, 2016.

In a written statement, Metzger said he appreciates the support from the community and from the school district.

“I would like to first thank all of the individuals who expressed their support of me in connection with the recent investigation conducted by Moore County Schools. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to all of you. I also want to thank Dr. Grimesey as well as the school’s investigative team for performing a fair and equitable investigation. I also want to thank Dr. Grimesey for providing me with a second opportunity to do what I love at Pinecrest High School. The unfortunate events that led to the premature conclusion of our football season have taught me some valuable lessons that will allow me to be a better man and a better coach in the future," Metzger said.

Pinecrest is a member of the Southeastern 4-A Conference. The Patriots failed to make the state playoffs after forfeiting their season in November.

Just what the football world needs: another scandal involving the Patriots.

Granted, this one involves the Pinecrest (Southern Pines, N.C) Patriots, and the “eight-quarter rule” the North Carolina High School Athletic Association cited in vacating the Pinecrest football team’s eight victories, levying a $5,000 fine against the school and dismissing the Patriots from the playoffs isn’t quite as nuanced as Pascal’s Principle and PSI levels, but the theory is the same — cross the governing body, and you shall pay a price.

The price is a steep one for Pinecrest, which had submitted an 8-2 record in its first 10 regular-season games and would have qualified for the Class 4AA state playoffs for a fifth straight year, since the last time the Patriots were banned from postseason play for a fight during the 2010 season. But rules are rules, after all.

“We certainly regret any time that a school has to forfeit victories in situations like this, but we do try to apply the rules as consistently and fairly as possible,” interim NCHSAA Que Tucker said in a statement. “We appreciate the professional way that Pinecrest High School has been dealing with this situation.”

Several local media outlets reported on the ruling released by the NCHSAA, including Moore County’s The Pilot.

Here is the so-called “eight-quarter rule” as it appears in the NCHSAA’s handbook:

In emergency or “lack of depth” situations only, freshmen and/or sophomore junior varsity football players will be allowed a maximum of eight quarters per season of “on the field” play as a varsity football player. This is an allowable exemption from the rule counting dressing for a game as participation in a varsity contest and will enable a junior varsity player to be available for emergency or lack of depth participation in the varsity contest. The intent of the rule is to give coaches some alternatives for junior varsity players to continue to gain value game experience at the junior varsity level and still be available as a backup player in the varsity game.

Essentially, a maximum of 12 junior varsity players can each play eight varsity quarters throughout the season. There are two pieces of paperwork required for each game in this process: 1) a pre-approval form signed by the athletic director, principal, a parent or guardian and a trainer or doctor, listing all JV players who plan to dress for the game; and 2) a postgame status report, including the names of every JV player who dressed for the game and the playing time he received, signed by the coach, AD and principal and submitted to the NCHSAA the following school day.

If it sounds like a pain, it probably is, and that’s likely why Pinecrest failed to comply for all 10 of its games. Without the paperwork, every JV player who dresses for the varsity is considered ineligible — regardless whether they appear in the game or not — resulting in a forfeit and a $500 fine. Times that by 10, and that’s where Pinecrest stands.

Pinecrest appealed, hoping for leniency after self-reporting the violation, but the NCHSAA wasn’t having it, especially since 2014 Class 4A title favorite Dudley (Greensboro, N.C.) suffered similar consequences last year. The real shame is that any high school kid had his season cut short over an administrator’s failure to do his homework.

Pinehurst, N.C.

It’s a joke, I think. Either way, it’s not the sort of thing you’d ever seen at the Pinehurst Resort — the spirit of which is wonderful and easygoing, but also one that takes itself a little too seriously at times. And every now and then, even at Pinehurst, it’s good to do something different. Sometimes that means washing your hands next to a ball washer.

For a resort that drapes itself in history, lodging options, and all things Donald Ross, the Pinehurst Resort somehow does not own the Pine Crest Inn. The Inn opened more than 100 years ago (the Inn’s own authorities differ on when it opened, ranging from 1913 to 1917) and, for more than a quarter-century, was owned by Pinehurst’s most famous denizen, Ross. Today, it’s still family-owned, albeit not by Ross’ descendants.

And that’s a good thing. The resort is great, but it is occasionally a little too clean and a little too perfect (a perplexing reality, since No. 2 and No. 4 have achieved such recent renown by becoming less perfect). The Pine Crest Inn is neither clean nor perfect. It is something between a museum and a dive bar. That makes it just right.

The Pine Crest Inn had been on my radar for a couple of years, ever since I read Michael Bamberger’s terrific 2014 ode to the place. It is famously known as that place where guests can chip balls into the lobby’s fireplace, nearly within arm’s reach of the bar. Anyplace where you can drink a beer, chip golf balls on the carpet, and not get scolded (justifiably) by your wife is my kind of place.

My eagerness to try out the chipping-at-the-fireplace thing was exceeded only by my horror at chipping indoors. At least on Pinehurst’s tightly mown fairways, a skulled chip disturbs no more than a waste area or a bed of pine straw on the other side of the green. Indoors, in full sight of God and everybody, in a hundred-year-old hotel that sags just enough to suggest that a blow to the correct supporting column might bring the whole place down? That’s pressure.

But first things first. My golf partner and I found ourselves a table in the corner, to which a tired waitress eventually came by — just quickly enough to convince us that we hadn’t been forgotten, but just slowly enough to remind us that we weren’t special. “What do you have on draft?” I asked. “Nothing,” she replied. I turned my head to the bar, and she was right: there were no beer taps — just a long, dusty row of longnecks evincing the bottled selections. In the spirit of the United Kingdom, I ordered a Newcastle and the fish and chips.

The food didn’t win any awards, but it had come with no promises, and it served its purpose, so I had no complaints. And the ale was better than I remembered it. I wiped the condensation off the bottle and took in the ambiance of the lounge: lots of carpet, lots of dark wood, not much light. Lots of old photos on the walls, with just enough dust on the glass to confirm that they weren’t hung after some focus group-driven interior-decoration initiative. The place had an audible hum to it, but it wasn’t loud. It was just right.

Eventually, the moment of truth arrived. The hotel’s fireplace-chipping game is a simple exercise in chipping to an opening in a padded green square beneath the lobby’s mantle (imagine a dog-sized air mattress with a hole in it). The game appears to be first come, first served: just walk up, grab a club, and start. There’s no starting whistle, and (remarkably) no waiver to sign. Just walk up and play. The object is simple: knock the ball in the hole. But like all short-game opportunities around Pinehurst, the variety of options injects complication into a seemingly straightforward task. A handful of clubs rest against the column that serves as the game’s “starting line” — ranging from a pitching wedge up to a 5-iron. Obviously, the wedge’s loft makes it easier to baby the chip into the hole, but showing off is half the fun of this game, and the 5-iron demands the spectators’ attention (if for no other reason than their odds of dying rise substantially). I managed two hole-outs with the wedge, and I didn’t manage even to imagine how hard you’d have to hit the 5-iron to get it high enough airborne to find the hole. Presumably, one’s willingness to smash the 5-iron increases proportionately to the volume of Newcastle consumed.

But on this night, we never drank the requisite amount of brown ale to work up the courage. With an early tee time the next morning, we called it quits on both the fireplace-chipping and the beverages. I walked back to the Holly Inn with my pride intact, and with a lesson: Pinehurst’s tremendous golf courses lure the visitor into 36-hole days, but the real fun around Pinehurst lies in the area’s small pleasures: an afternoon on the porch of the Deuce, a couple of rounds on the Cradle, a late night of crushing inadvisable 5-irons at Donald Ross’ 100-year-old fireplace. And the only way to make time for that is to make time for it — which means settling for a day or two of just one round of golf.

Of course, making time in an itinerary for less golf in an area so golf-rich as Pinehurst necessitates many more trips to the area — and, for me, more frequent nights slamming 5-irons at Donald Ross’ mantel.

. . .

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Steve Spurrier’s departure from South Carolina hasn’t hurt the Gamecocks when it comes to recruiting some of the Cape Fear region’s best football talent.

First-year South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp continued the long-standing connection between the Cape Fear region and the Gamecocks over the weekend by securing a verbal commitment from Pinecrest High School safety Jaylin Dickerson.

Dickerson, a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder, will enter his third year as a varsity starter for the Patriots in 2016. He made 58 tackles and three interceptions as a sophomore, then earned first-team All-Southeastern 4-A Conference honors and All-Cape Fear region honors last season when he had 64 tackles, six tackles for loss and two interceptions.

“It got down to N.C. State, Virginia, Duke, Charlotte and App (Appalachian State),’’ Pinecrest coach Chris Metzger said Tuesday. “But he really felt at home at South Carolina. They have a great international business school and that’s another reason why he chose that school. He appreciated everybody recruiting him.

“Jaylin is a better person than he is a player. He’s excited. He’s going to graduate early (from Pinecrest) and get a head start.’’

Dickerson joins a lengthy list of Cape Fear region high school players who have gone on to sign with South Carolina. Some of those players include Douglas Byrd grad Brad Edwards, South View alum Jonathan Hannah, Scotland’s Travian Robertson and Hutch Eckerson from Lumberton.

The current Gamecocks roster also features senior defensive lineman Abu Lamin, who is a graduate of Trinity Christian School.

Summer camp success

The summer camp season is traditionally an active time for verbal commitments, and this year is no exception.

North Carolina and N.C. State picked up three pledges each following the conclusion of their on-campus summer camps.

The Tar Heels’ trio includes West Palm Beach, Florida cornerback Travion Leonard; Caleb Rozar, a cornerback from Dickson, Tennessee; and Brian Anderson, a center prospect from Montgomery, Alabama.

The 6-foot, 180-pound Leonard became a hot commodity after first committing to Florida Atlantic last December. Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Notre Dame and Wake Forest came through with scholarship offers in the months since. But after a three-day visit to Chapel Hill for camp, he chose to play for UNC.

Anderson (6-3, 271) and Rozar (6-3, 198) both attended UNC’s popular “Freak Show’’ camp last Saturday before committing. Anderson entertained more than 30 offers before choosing the Tar Heels, while Rozar had narrowed his list to UNC and Wake Forest.

The additions increase the Tar Heels’ recruiting Class of 2017 to 11 players.

Pack gets in-state pair

N.C. State’s newest recruits feature in-state stars in Marvin Ridge High receiver Emeka Emezie and Wake Forest linebacker Darius Hodge.

Emezie, a 6-3, 190-pounder, caught 69 passes for 1,101 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.

“He does a really good job going up and high-pointing the ball,’’ Marvin Ridge Aubrey Carter said of Emezie. “There were a couple of plays last year where it’s a jump ball and he just goes up and gets it. That’s one of his strong points.’’

The 6-3, 248-pound Hodge racked up 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss and eight sacks for Wake Forest as a junior. He picked N.C. State over offers from North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Virginia.

The Wolfpack also added 6-5, 210-pound defensive end Xavier Lyas from Plant City, Florida, to their class, which now numbers nine players.

Staff writer Sammy Batten can be reached at [email protected] or 486-3534.

Eric Bae of Southern Pines Pinecrest had the only sub-par round of the first day and added another one Tuesday to take the individual championship in the 79th annual North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A men’s golf championships at Pinehurst Country Club number four.

Bae had back-to-back rounds of 70 for a 140 total, four under par and two shots ahead of Raleigh Leesville Road’s Doc Redman. Redman had a two-under 70 on Tuesday for a 142 total.

Bryce Hendrix of Greenville D.H. Conley also recorded a 70 on the final day for a 143 total, one under par, to tie for third with Raleigh Broughton’s Stephen Saleeby.

The course was laid out at 6,715 yards for Tuesday’s final round. Monday’s round was held on Pinehurst number two.

Bae’s sub-par rounds helped propel Pinecrest to the team championship by six shots over defending champion Raleigh Broughton. Pinecrest had a 586 total to Broughton’s 592, with first day team leader Myers Park in third at 584

The best four of five individual scores counted toward the team total.

Prior to 1986, all NCHSAA schools competed for a single title in an open tournament. Play went to three classifications in 1986 and then to four classes beginning with the 1998 tournaments.

A total of 72 golfers began play in the two-day tournament. Action is scheduled to resume at eight o’clock on Tuesday morning with play moving to Pinehurst number four, which will play at par 72 and 6,715 yards.

TEAM STANDINGS

Southern Pines Pinecrest 302 284 586Raleigh Broughton 304 288 592Charlotte Myers Park 300 294 594Charlotte Catholic 318 298 616Cornelius W.A. Hough 315 303 618Raleigh Leesville Road 317 304 621Cary Panther Creek 317 307 624Greensboro Page 323 304 627Winston-Salem R.J. Reynolds 326 305 631Greenville D.H. Conley 319 314 633Pfafftown Reagan 340 314 654Scotland 344 313 657

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

1 Eric Bae, Pinecrest 70-70--140 (-4)2 Doc Redman, Leesville Road 72-70--142 (-2)T3 Bryce Hendrix, D.H. Conley 73-70--143 (-1)T3 Stephen Saleeby, Broughton 73-70--143 (-1)5 Josh Martin, Pinecrest 78-67--145 (+1)T6 A.J. Beechler, Pinecrest 76-71--147 (+3)T6 Harrison Rhoades, Broughton 77-70--147 (+3)T6 Quinn Tardif, Charlotte Catholic 75-72--147 (+3)T9 Viraj Garewal, Panther Creek 75-73--148 (+4)T9 Henry Shimp, Myers Park 74-74--148 (+4)T9 Will Simmons, Myers Park 75-73--148 (+4)T9 Christian Park, Providence 74-74--148 (+4)T13 Jack Speer, R.J. Reynolds 76-73--149 (+5)T13 Blake Wagoner, William A. Hough 77-72--149 (+5)T15 Nolan Mills, Myers Park 76-74--150 (+6)T15 Walker Simas, Myers Park 75-75--150 (+6)T17 Jimbo Stanley, Broughton 77-74--151 (+7)T17 Brantley Phillips, Page 78-73--151 (+7)T17 Hoke Carlton, Myers Park 78-73--151 (+7)20 Will Minton, Broughton 77-75--152 (+8)21 Alex Smalley, Wake Forest 78-75--153 (+9)T22 Preyer Fountain, Broughton 80-74--154 (+10)T22 Alex Scott, Panther Creek 77-77--154 (+10)T22 Blake McShea, Rolesville 77-77--154 (+10)T22 Blake Fiest, William A. Hough 79-75--154 (+10)T26 Corey Wilson, Leesville Road 79-76--155 (+11)T26 Zac Lynch, Ronald Reagan 80-75--155 (+11)T26 Michael Walsh, Charlotte Catholic 80-75--155 (+11)T26 Cole Sutherland, Providence 81-74--155 (+11)T30 Krystian Romero, Pinecrest 78-78--156 (+12)T30 Hudson Helms, R.J. Reynolds 82-74--156 (+12)T32 Jackson Neff, Page 78-79--157 (+13)T32 Thomas Mayes, Page 82-75--157 (+13)T32 Peter Hinnant, R.J. Reynolds 80-77--157 (+13)35 Miguel Palacios, Panther Creek 81-77--158 (+14)T36 Sam Young, E.A. Laney 82-77--159 (+15)T36 Will Hughes, Charlotte Catholic 83-76--159 (+15)T36 Will Straub, Charlotte Catholic 80-79--159 (+15)T36 Matt Sharpstene, William A. Hough 78-81--159 (+15)T36 Ronnie Uszenski, William A. Hough 81-78--159 (+15)T41 Nic Brown, D.H. Conley 78-83--161 (+17)T41 Jackson Young, E.A. Laney 85-76--161 (+17)T41 Will Jacobson, Leesville Road 85-76--161 (+17)T41 Scott Campbell, East Forsyth 84-77--161 (+17)T41 Adam Messenkopf, Ronald Reagan 83-78--161 (+17)T41 Ryan Fitzgerald, Charlotte Catholic 86-75--161 (+17)T41 Ben Woodruff, William A. Hough 83-78--161 (+17)48 Blake Bathie, Scotland 87-75--162 (+18)T49 Nick Loy, J.H. Rose 83-80--163 (+19)T49 Travis Jackson, Scotland 86-77--163 (+19)T51 Luke McGann, Panther Creek 84-80--164 (+20)T51 Greg Clark, Page 87-77--164 (+20)T53 Will Lineberry, D.H. Conley 83-82--165 (+21)T53 Joey Pettis, Leesville Road 81-84--165 (+21)T53 Carter Thompson, Middle Creek 84-81--165 (+21)T53 Nicolas LaGrutta, Panther Creek 85-80--165 (+21)T53 Hayden Ayers, Ronald Reagan 84-81--165 (+21)T58 Conner Gill, D.H. Conley 85-81--166 (+22)T58 Harrison Hartwell, Scotland 82-84--166 (+22)T58 Tanner Horne, Scotland 89-77--166 (+22)61 Charlie Tate, Grimsley 85-83--168 (+24)T62 Wesley Sink, Davie County 87-83--170 (+26)T62 Jordan Fields, R.J. Reynolds 89-81--170 (+26)T62 Clay Bollinger, South Caldwell 91-79--170 (+26)65 Kellan Bodenhiemer, R.J. Reynolds 88-83--171 (+27)T66 Cole Jordan, D.H. Conley 91-81--172 (+28)T66 Jordan Peck, Leesville Road 90-82--172 (+28)68 Jon Millsaps, Ronald Reagan 93-82--175 (+31)69 Will Floyd, Scotland 90-103--193 (+49)Nash Neptune, Pinecrest 79-NC--NC (NC)Grey Hyatt, Page 85-NC--NC (NC)Chad Lynch, Ronald Reagan 95-NC--NC (NC)Ivan Krizan, Reagan NC-80--NC (NC)James Sugg, Pinecrest NC-76--NC (NC)Alec Lloyd, Page NC-82--NC (NC)