HS softball coach suspended for winning 55-0

[DukeSucks]

...and only played two innings.

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Central Cabarrus coach suspended for 2 games

School punishes Sherrill after latest lopsided win: 55-0 vs. W. Charlotte

LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

Staff Writer


Central Cabarrus softball coach Monte Sherrill will miss two games this week, serving a suspension imposed by the school resulting from a 55-0 win against West Charlotte on April 15.

Cabarrus County athletics director Scott Barringer confirmed Sherrill's suspension Monday when contacted by the Observer. Asked why Sherrill was being suspended, Barringer said the issue was a personnel matter.

"That's all I am going to tell you sir," Barringer said. Central Cabarrus Principal Chris Lowder said he could not comment because it was a personnel matter.

Sources close to the situation told the Observer that Sherrill had been warned by school officials about lopsided scores last year and that he will miss a home game today with West Mecklenburg and one Friday at Independence.

Sherrill, who is 441-43 with five state titles in 15 years, did not return phone calls made by the Observer on Monday. In two years at Central Cabarrus, he is 49-1.

In the West Charlotte game, Central Cabarrus scored 30 in the first inning and 25 in the second, getting 43 hits.

West Charlotte athletics director Tony Guylitto said Sherrill's team was still playing aggressively despite the wide lead. N.C. High School Athletic Association rules call for a game to be stopped if a team is leading by 10 or more runs after five complete innings.

After West Charlotte batted in the second inning, Guylitto said he told game officials to end the game.

"It's one of the worst shows of sportsmanship I've seen in my 20 years of coaching and being an athletics director," Guylitto said. "This is the best softball team we've had since I've been here in nine years and we're trying to teach them the fundamentals of the game and keep their heads up and keep smiles on their faces. I looked at them on the field with their heads down and I told the officials to stop it. A game like that can kill a team."