High school sports are alive and kicking
With 10 public high schools in the county, there is no shortage of sports for teens to take part in. Here's a quick look at some of the things you need to know about high school sports.
Follow your high school team, every step of the way. Visit www.910preps.com to see individual team pages, with stats, schedules, photos and team blogs.
Governing bodies
There are two governing bodies that oversee statewide high school athletic competition for most schools in Cumberland County.
The public schools are members of the N.C. High School Athletic Association. Most of the local private schools are members of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association.
Football is king
Football is the most popular sport among local high schools, consistently drawing the biggest crowds.
Since 1972, when the current East-West playoff format was adopted, 27 teams from Fayetteville and Cumberland County have advanced to at least the regional finals. Of those, 14 went on to the state finals. Seventy-First brought home state titles in 1984 and 1986 while South View won in 1991.
The last teams from the county to reach the title game were South View and Jack Britt, both in 2004.
TBest in the state
Cumberland County has a strong argument that its girls' basketball is some of the best in North Carolina.
Since 2003, Cumberland County teams have captured four state 4-A championships. Seventy-First started the run with backto- back titles in 2003 and 2004.
South View became the second team to win a title in this century, taking the 2007 championship.
Westover followed that with the school's first girls' basketball championship in 2008.
Who they play
Cumberland County's 10 public senior high schools are split into three conferences.
Douglas Byrd, Seventy-First, Westover and Jack Britt belong to the Mid- Southeastern 4-A Conference.
South View, Terry Sanford, E.E. Smith, Pine Forest and Cape Fear are in the Two Rivers 4-A Conference.
Gray's Creek, currently the only 3-A school in the county, is in the Cape Fear Valley 3-A.
Beginning in 2009-10, new conferences created by the latest realignment of the N.C. High School Athletic Association will take effect.
Coming together in a new 4-A conference will be Seventy-First, Jack Britt, South View, Terry Sanford, E.E. Smith, Pine Forest and Cape Fear.
Douglas Byrd and Westover will drop down and join Gray's Creek in 3-A.