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Coaching action delayed; six candidates considered |
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The Jackson County school board took no action Monday on naming a football coach at Smoky Mountain High.
Board Chairman Martha Queen announced early in the meeting that the coaching issue would not be discussed. The meeting was recessed until 6 p.m. Monday, March 6, at the Central Office, and the coaching situation may be taken up at that time. Six candidates from a field of 16 applicants were chosen to be interviewed for the job being left open by the resignation of Coach Boyce Deitz. Four of those were members of Deitz's staff last year. Another has ties to Jackson County, and the sixth is a veteran college assistant. The local candidates are Tim Hawkins, Cameron Brooks and Joe Smith, all varsity assistants, and Ian Roper, who coached the freshman team. Hawkins (baseball), Brooks (track) and Roper (wrestling) already are head coaches of other sports for the Mustangs. Eric Wike is a 1981 graduate of Cullowhee High and an assistant coach at Seneca (S.C.) High. He interviewed for the job three years ago when Deitz was hired. Also in the running is Jeff Snipes, who served as co-defensive coordinator at N.C. State the past four seasons. Snipes had been an assistant for the Wolfpack since 1986 after serving four years as an assistant at Furman, his alma mater. The interviews were conducted by a seven-member search committee appointed by the school board. The committee was instructed to bring the board three names ranked in order according to the committee's recommendation. Athletic Director Si Simmons, who chaired the committee, said his panel has completed its work. He said he expected to go to the board with the three names Monday. The board could name a coach at that time or look further into the matter before taking any action. |
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