By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
MARION – McDowell High’s varsity girls’ basketball team will be coached next season by Zack McCartha, a graduate of the school.
The McDowell News and Asheville Citizen Times reported McCartha is leaving his position as head varsity girls’ coach at Mitchell County after five seasons to coach the Titans.
McCARTHA
McCartha is replacing Jennifer (Brooks) Kinninger, who coached McDowell’s girls for nine seasons. They were 3-6 last season in a COVID-interrupted season, finishing fifth in the Northwestern 3A-4A.
Kinniger became head coach in 2012-13, after eight years as an assistant coach, and she coached eight straight teams to the state playoffs. Her 2013-14 team went 24-1, going unbeaten (12-0) and winning a Mountain Athletic 3A-4A title.
McDowell went 138-83 under Kinninger, who was a star player for the Titans.
Last season, the Titans missed the postseason this year for the first time since 1983-84, snapping a 36-year run of reaching the state playoffs.
At Mitchell County, the Mountaineers reached the West 1A Regionals each of the last two seasons and went unbeaten in the regular season last year.
McCartha, in his first head-coaching job, was named the 2021 All-District Coach of the Year by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (NCBCA).
He also was a football against at Mitchell County, coaching quarterbacks.
McCartha came to Mitchell County from McDowell in 2016 after more than a decade at his alma mater. His roles for the Titans varsity included as offensive coordinator.
McDowell is leaving the Northwestern 3A-4A in August, as statewide realignment placed the Titans in a 3A-4A league with 3As Enka, Asheville Erwin and North Buncombe and 4As A.C. Reynolds, Asheville and Asheville Roberson.
