Butler's Newsome a finalist for A.L. Brown football job

Butler High football coach Mike Newsome was one of at least six finalists for the same position at Kannapolis Brown, according to a source close to the search.

Reached by telephone by the Observer Friday, Newsome would not comment.
Butler High athletics director Courtney Paschal told the Observer Friday that Newsome has not resigned as football coach at Butler. Paschal confirmed Newsome interviewed at Brown last week, but said he's still the Bulldogs football coach.

"He has not resigned at Butler," she said, "and to our knowledge, he hasn't been offered the position at Kannapolis either. We know that he interviewed, but he has not resigned as of (Friday) at Butler. I don't know where they are getting information, but there's been no decisions made as of yet."

Brown principal Kevin Garay told the Observer Thursday that the school had picked a candidate to replace former coach Ron Massey, who is retiring. Garay declined to say how many applicants had been interviewed, but said the school would make its recommendation for a new coach to the Kannapolis School Board at its Monday meeting for approval.

Sources said the finalists included former Wonders players Blair and Justin Hardin, who won a state championship at the school when their father, Bruce, was head coach. The other finalists, according to sources, were Newsome, Morganton Patton's Chris Deal, Salisbury's Joe Pinyon and West Rowan's Scott Young. Blair Hardin is head coach at Indian Trail Porter Ridge; Justin is head coach at Weddington.

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