Leagues on the move

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 21, 2004

ATLANTIC BEACH – Three-quarters of the conferences in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCISAA) will have different memberships during the 2004-2005 season.

The Tarheel Independent Conference (TIC), which features several teams in the Roanoke-Chowan area, is just one of the many leagues that will be reshaped for the upcoming academic year. The TIC added a pair of members from the former Carolina Academies Conference (CAC).

QUOTE FROM DOUG

The Tarheel Independent will welcome Northeast Academy from Lasker and Hobgood Academy from Halifax County.

Those two schools will join Lawrence Academy in Merry Hill, Ridgecroft School in Ahoskie, Terra Ceia Christian School in Pantego, Pungo Christian Academy in Belhaven and Albemarle School in Elizabeth City.

Another school left homeless by the demise of the CAC was Halifax Academy in Roanoke Rapids. The Vikings, now a 2-A school, will join the split Coastal Plains Independent Conference (CPIC).

Already members of the CPIC are Faith Christian School, Greenfield School, Kerr-Vance Academy, Wayne Country Day School and Rocky Mount Academy. Rocky Mount will move from their current membership in the 1-A ranks of the league to 2-A come 2005-2006.

The realignment of one conference in the NCISAA has spelled near doom for another.

The Carolina Christian Conference (CCC) added three members of the Southeastern Independent Conference (SEIC) and one new school. Cape Fear Christian Academy, Cresset Christian School and Northwood Temple Academy left the SEIC to join the CCC.

Also new to the league is Cary Christian School. Current members include Community Christian School, Norlina Christian School, Trinity Academy, Village Christian School and Wayne Christian School.

The newly aligned nine-team league left the SEIC with the cupboard nearly bare. Held over in the SEIC are Flora MacDonald Academy, Trinity Christian School and Waccamaw Academy.

The move of the three schools was originally denied at the NCISAA Board of Managers meeting, but was allowed soon after the meeting.

The SEIC no longer meets the requirements for a conference in the NCISAA, as the organization requires four members for a conference. They have one year of probation to find a new school.

The Metro Athletic Conference (MAC) will be down to seven members. They are Cannon School, Gaston Christian School, Hickory Grove Baptist School, First Assembly Christian School, Metrolina Christian Academy, Northside Christian Academy and Westminster Catawba Christian School.

Other changes include:

* The Piedmont Conference of Independent Schools (PACIS) will add Christ School this year;

* Rabin Gap-Nacoochee School will join the Carolina Athletic Association;

* The Triad Athletic Conference (TAC) will add High Point Christian Academy; and]

* Covenant Day School will join the Southern Piedmont Athletic Association.