Up & Coming Weekly

January 16, 2018

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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28 UCW JANUARY 17-23, 2018 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS A little over a week into January, Julian Hill was listed as the top rebounder from Cumberland County Schools on the stats at ncprepsports.net with an average of 10.1 per game. That might not seem to be an incredible accomplishment, but considering how far Hill has come in the last two years, it's almost a leap over Mount Everest. The 6-foot-4-inch senior forward has battled back from two surgeries on his right knee. This is his first season on a basketball court in two years. He had to miss the first two games of the current season, not getting clearance from his doctor to return to full competition until Nov. 18. Regardless of all those challenges, one person who never doubted he'd return was Trojan boys' head basketball coach Jimmy Peaden. "I've never seen a kid that has his will power as far as getting back from not one but two surgeries,'' Peaden said. "He's put in the work. He's not satisfied at all with where he is.'' Where he is, despite still not being 100 percent in basketball shape, is averaging a double-double almost nightly for the Trojans while often pull- ing double coverage from the defense. The toughest part for Hill this season, he said, was realizing he would not be healthy in time to return to his role as quarterback on the Trojan football team. About mid-season during football, he sat down with his family, his doctor and his physical therapist to plot strategy for what remained. "We said basketball was going to be the goal,'' Hill said. That forced a change in the rehabilitation therapy he was taking. "Basketball requires a lot of jumping, a lot of explosiveness,'' he said. "We did a lot of jumping activities, a change of direction.'' Despite all the personal work he's put in, Hill doesn't like to take credit for his rebounding success so far. "When the entire team boxes out, it works for whoever gets the ball,'' Hill said. There is still a lot of basketball to be played this season, and Hill said that is what Peaden has been preaching to the Trojan team. "We have to stay together, even through the downs,'' Hill said. "We have to stay tougher every day and better ourselves for the next game. "It's like a big brotherhood. The guys know it, and the coaches feel it. I think we'll turn it around really soon.'' Julian Hill's comeback by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Julian Hill Snead (far right) made history this year. Photo courtesy of Ken Kassens. Snead first woman to officiate NCHSAA football state championship by EARL VAUGHAN JR. When Christina Snead first heard she was about to make North Carolina High School Athletic Association history as the first female to officiate a football state champion- ship game, she wasn't able to cel- ebrate the news the way she wanted. "I actually wanted to a do a cart- wheel,'' the 41-year-old graduate of Cape Fear High School said. "I couldn't. I was at school.'' The school she's referring to is Fayetteville State University, where she teaches health and wellness, first aid, CPR and swimming. She's also doing work there on a degree in accounting. This is her third year working as a high school football official, but her love for the game goes back much further. "I always enjoyed it growing up,'' she said. "I vol- unteered around Fayetteville State, traveled with the team and started doing rec ball and moved up gradually. I wanted to be around it all the time.'' She played for six years with Cape Fear Thunder, a semi-pro women's team, seeing action at running back and quarterback. Friends who recognized her love for the sport urged her to become a high school official, but she quickly realized her perspective toward foot- ball had to change. "When you become an official, you have to see what's right,'' she said. "There's a lot more per- spective you have to look at when officiating versus playing the game.'' Before calling this year's state 2AA championship game at Kenan Stadium between East Dublin and Hibriten in December, Snead called games in the state playoffs. Tony Haire was the head of the officiating crew during Snead's run to the finals and the title game. "I don't know of any situations where there was a problem with a coach or issues with players that created a problem,'' Haire said of his game experi- ence with Snead. "Everything was pretty smooth on her side of the field.'' Snead's position as an official was what's now known as down judge. She oversaw operations of the chain crew and was responsible for calls on the line of scrimmage as well as plays run to her side of the field. With a national shortage of officials a growing prob- lem, Haire said it's important to get qualified women like Snead involved in the officiating program. "Over 99 percent of officials are men,'' he said. "If we can get more women involved in officiating as a whole, and definitely in football, it would ease the shortage we're in.'' Neil Buie, regional supervisor of football officials for the Cape Fear region, agrees. He added that Snead's selection to call the state title game wasn't some gimmick to spotlight female officials. She was picked because she was deserving of the honor. "She did an excellent job in the state champion- ship and throughout the playoffs,'' Buie said. He added that the barrier of women serving as officials for traditionally male sports is no longer there. "It comes down to a mindset of I enjoy sports and being around young people,'' he said. "I enjoy giving back and want to be part of it.'' Snead feels the same way. "I want any female to know nothing is impossible,'' she said. "If there's something they want to do in their lifetime, go for it. Attention Students: Let Your Voice Be Heard Get published in our award-winning community newspaper Up & Coming Weekly Send in your feature articles, editorials, short stories, movie and music reviews or original poetry and artwork to: highschoolhighlights@upandcomingweekly.com Subject line: High School Highlights Please include your photo and school information.

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