HS mailbag: On Central Cabarrus basketball, NCHSAA charter schools, best NC hooper

Back from vacation and had a lot of questions in the email queue. If you have a question, drop it here.

Q. After Central Cabarrus finished runner-up in a national high school basketball tournament, now do you think Central should’ve won the Sweet 16? Y’all look foolish — John M, Concord

After finishing the season unbeaten with a state title, Central Cabarrus played in a national event in Georgia called The Throne. The Vikings beat some high-quality competition before finally falling to Miami’s Christopher Columbus High 65-57 in the national championship game. The Miami team featured one of the nation’s best high school players — sophomore Cameron Boozer, the reigning national Gatorade Player of the Year and the son of former Duke star Carlos Boozer.

But I don’t think that run has anything to do with The Observer’s high school poll. Myers Park won the N.C. 4A state title, the state’s hardest public school title to win, and the Mustangs won The Sweet 16 championship. Myers Park was ranked No. 2 before No. 1 Carmel Christian — which had beaten Myers Park head-to-head — was upset by Christ School in the private school state final.

Strength of schedule, strength of classification and team results factor into how we rate teams, and we felt all season that teams like Carmel and Myers Park and North Meck were ahead of Central in those metrics. That takes nothing away from the special season the Vikings had then — and the special season the Vikings could have this winter.

Q. I enjoyed all the coverage of Central Cabarrus in the playoffs and at the Throne. Will you be covering Cabarrus County more in the future? — James, Kannapolis

Back-to-back Cabarrus County questions, huh? Short answer is yes, we’ll be covering more of Cabarrus County. In the spring, we adjusted our coverage area to include the N.C counties that touch Mecklenburg: Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union. That will allow us to visit the schools in our new coverage zone much more often.

Q. I am a die-hard Republican and a native North Carolinian. For the life of me, I don’t understand why a group of Republicans seems to be after the NC High School Athletic Association. Am I missing something? — John Simmons, Raleigh

You’re missing 41 million things, actually. Politicians got wind of the fact that the NCHSAA had a total net worth of more than $41 million, including an endowment, while some schools were hurting financially. And the fact that a few schools were — correctly, in my opinion — denied playoff entrance due to breaking the rules.

Now, the association cannot touch all of its endowment funds, and some people have suggested that those monies be used to repair school facilities or buy uniforms.

That’s not the purpose of a state association endowment.

Honestly, I don’t think blowing up the NCHSAA — which has done an adequate job of giving back to schools — or drastically changing it is necessary. Many other states look to ours as a shining example.

I think the NCHSAA could’ve been more transparent in the past, and after meeting with lawmakers last year, that started to happen, but the association is governed by its members and run well. There are always going to be hot-button issues, like transgender athletes, that people take sides on, but I think we have an excellent association, and I’d hate to see it end or changed much.

Q. What’s your solution to charters and private schools playing in the NCHSAA? They win all the state titles because they have unfair advantages — John Raymond Jr., Belmont

The association, founded in 1913, has a clear charter that allows the state’s public and non-boarding parochial schools membership. So those charters and the four parochial schools — Kernersville’s Bishop McGuinness, Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons, Charlotte Catholic and Huntersville’s Christ The King — are entitled to association membership.

Catholic and Gibbons already play at the highest level in the association, which is 4A. Bishop McGuinness (1A) and Christ The King (1A) have won recent state championships. I know there are issues with how those schools have non-traditional borders and how they can attract students from a wider geographic area than their neighbors.

So I think the association could easily place charters and the smaller parochial schools into their own state playoff bracket. I do not think a proposal that would make charter schools play in the classification from where the majority of their student bodies would normally attend makes sense.

Having a small 2A charter like Pine Lake Prep, which draws heavily from a zone that includes North Mecklenburg and Hough, playing against 4A schools in football is a safety issue, pure and simple.

Q. Is it true the paper is shrinking the coverage area? What does that mean for the rankings y’all do and your all-star teams? Will Union County get covered more? — Sincere Robinson, Monroe

Yes, in the spring we made a shift. The primary coverage zone now includes public and private schools in the Charlotte metropolitan area and N.C. counties that touch Mecklenburg County. Those counties include Cabarrus (and A.L. Brown High), Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties. That encompasses 106 high schools, down from 164. Those 106 schools will be eligible for inclusion in The Observer’s regional polls, daily coverage, athletes of the week and postseason all-star teams. The Observer will continue to offer statewide baseball, football and basketball polls involving all N.C. teams.

Counties previously in the primary coverage zone include Alexander, Anson, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly and Watauga. The Observer, however, will still offer limited coverage of athletes and games in those areas.

Q. Two questions: when does Talking Preps return and when does preseason (football) coverage start? — Mitch, Weddington

Talking Preps will return next month and I can’t wait to get back with the guys and Miss Sammy Sen. Preseason coverage will start later this month and ramp up in August. Make sure you get subscribed to see it all and follow us on Twitter, Threads, Facebook and Instagram.

Q. Who is the best basketball player in North Carolina — The Goat, Charlotte

Well, first of all is “Goat” your first or last name (laughs)?

In March, we named North Mecklenburg’s Isaiah Evans Mr. Basketball in North Carolina, signifying him as the state’s top player with its oldest and most prestigious award.

Since then, the Duke commit has risen to No. 10 in the 247 Sports national rankings. But he’s not the only area player to take a big postseason jump.

One spot ahead, at No. 9, is UNC recruit Drake Powell of Northwood High School.

In an era of kids leaving for six-figure paydays in several high school or NBA Developmental leagues nationally, I think it’s cool that both kids are staying home for their senior seasons. I also think we have a dead heat for No. 1 in North Carolina. We’ll let the season decide.

Q. Will The Observer start covering S.C. schools again, and do you think North Carolina has passed South Carolina in terms of high school football talent?

Well, we do have a sister paper in Rock Hill, the Herald, that is covering those teams for now. But it’s possible, I’d say. And yes, North Carolina, in my view, has passed South Carolina in terms of producing football talent. North Carolina is becoming a real national hotbed now.

Q. What will define the most dominant football teams this year? — Clint Oars, Lenoir

I think it’s the usual suspects: experience and talent at the skill positions, size up front and the ability to run the football. North Carolina has become a passing state in recent years, but when it gets cold and the playoffs arrive, high school football becomes a cliche’: gotta be able to run the ball and stop the run.

Q. Who wins the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A, Burns or Shelby? — Grady Nodine, Shelby

So Grady, by your question, I’m guessing you don’t think the other league members are playing for anything but third place, huh?

I think Burns wins the league coming off its 13-2 season a year ago that ended with a 32-14 loss to Reidsville in the state final. Also, in two head-to-head matchups last season with the Golden Lions, Burns won 27-14 and 42-0. So Shelby will have some motivation, but I lean Burns.