Wolves went 2-9 this season, not in playoffs for first time since 1999
HobbsDailyReport.com
LINCOLNTON – The Lincoln Times-News is reporting Ledford Gibson, head football coach at Lincolnton High the past four seasons, won’t return to coach the Wolves next season.
In a story posted on its website on Wednesday (https://www.lincolntimesnews.com/sports/wolves-gibson-steps-down/article_a1e9d768-e875-11e8-8dbc-cbca82f4372f.html), The Times-News reported longtime assistant and current athletic director Cole Sigmon will take over Lincolnton’s program on an interim basis.
Sigmon told the Time-News a search for a replacement will begin immediately, and the school hopes to have a new head coach in place by early 2019.
Gibson became head coach in 2015 after Scott Cloninger retired. Cloninger was head coach from 2000 through 2014 after succeeding Richard Smith. Smith was head coach from 1987 through 1999, taking over after the late Von Ray Harris was the Wolves’ head coach from 1959 through 1986.
The Wolves went 2-9 this season, including 1-6 in the South Fork 2A (seventh place) and they are not in the state playoffs for the first time since 1999.
Gibson’s first two teams went 12-3 and 13-1 and the Wolves were 6-7 in 2017. He was an assistant football coach for 15 years before becoming head coach.
The Times-News story said Gibson resigned, citing personal reasons.
The change in head coaches is the second in the Greater Hickory area’s three conferences – the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A — since the regular season ended last week.
The other change will be at West Caldwell, where school officials announced DeVore Holman will not return after guiding the Warriors for two seasons (6-6, 0-11).