By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
MOUNT ULLA ó The Shrine Bowl committee seems to really like Rowan County football coaches.
West Rowan’s Scott Young has been named as a North Carolina assistant for the 2009 Shrine Bowl that will be held Dec. 19 at Wofford’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.
Young is the second coach from the county in three years to be honored. Salisbury’s Joe Pinyan was an assistant in 2007.
It could be a big West Rowan party. A coach has the opportunity to take up to two players from his program, and Young knows that will be a tough choice.
“I’m nominating four,” he said. “But they’re selected by the coaches. It helps that I’m part of the staff. I can display my players in front of them. No doubt, there’s an edge there. But there are no guarantees.”
Expect K.P. Parks to be a member of the 44-man squad. The junior will enter his final season in Falcon blue with more than 7,000 yards rushing. He is one of only four juniors on the MaxPreps All-America team.
“Whatever fills the needs of the Shrine Bowl team is the one I’ll tell the coaches to select,” Young said.
The North Carolina head coach will be Charlotte Catholic’s Jim Oddo.
Joining Young as assistants are Anthony Barbour (Smithfield-Selma), Lenon Fisher (East Bladen), Mike Newsome (Butler) and Stephen Davis (Dudley).
“It’s a big honor,” Young said. “I understand it will be a lot of extra work, but it’s for a good cause. And I get to work with a great group of coaches.”
Shrine Bowl combines begin in March, and Young is familiar with the process. A few years ago, he watched Falcon seniors Tristan Dorty, David Melton and Austin Lowe make the final 100. Dorty and Melton were named to the team, and Lowe eventually was selected for the East-West game.
“I’ll have the chance to work with top-notch football players,” Young said, “but above all, the money goes for a great cause. I’m most excited about that.”