Cloninger leaving after 3 seasons guiding the Wolves
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
LINCOLNTON — Lincolnton High varsity boys’ basketball coach John Cloninger won’t return next season.
In a story first reported by The Lincoln Times-News, Cloninger said he’s exiting basketball after three seasons as head coach of the Wolves. He will return his focus to his local dentist practice.
The Times-News story said Eric Ginkel, junior varsity boys’ coach at Lincolnton, has been named the interim varsity head coach.
CLONINGER
Cloninger coached Lincolnton to an 8-6 record this season and a fourth-place finish in the South Fork 2A. The Wolves were 11-15 and 10-15 the two years before that, reaching the postseason after fifth-place finishes in the South Fork 2A.
Lincolnton was 29-36 in three seasons under Cloninger.
In this COVID-shortened season, the Wolves started 4-1 before losing back-to-back games to Newton-Conover and East Lincoln. They then won three straight games before losing at North Lincoln, at Lake Norman Charter and at home to North Lincoln before a season-ending victory at Maiden.
Cloninger became Wolves head coach after having also worked with former head coach Bob Cowie, who resigned after 20 seasons that included 17 appearances in the state playoffs.
Cowie’s 1999-2000 Wolves, his second team, went 21-7 and lost in the opening round of the West 2A Regionals.
One other varsity boys’ head coach has left since the season ended — Matt Wilkinson has resigned at Newton-Conover after six seasons there and 17 years as a head coach.
The girls’ varsity position at Newton-Conover is also open after the retirement of Sylvia White from an administrative role with the school system. By state regulations, someone who retires must not be employed by the state for six months. At that point, they are eligible to be considered for a position.
White has said she would be interested in a return, but declined further comment.
