NCHSAA officials drop ball on 4-A boys' basketball venue

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By Earl Vaughan Jr., Fayetteville Observer

FAYETTEVILLE - Gary Weller, the former Pine Forest High School football coach, was one of many spectators outside the Crown Arena on Thursday night, hoping to see the Trojans' 4-A Eastern Regional basketball game with Hoke County.

Like those other fans who eventually didn't get inside the packed arena, he could look across the parking lot at the spacious Crown Coliseum, which was hosting the 1-A girls' regional games.

Weller couldn't help but wonder the same thing a lot of people who didn't get to see Pine Forest play were wondering: "Why was it held here, and not over at the big arena? That was sort of mind-boggling to me.''

It left others scratching their heads too, such as Steve Poulk, a Pine Forest fan and the father of former Trojan baseball star Dallas Poulk. Poulk was one of the fortunate ones who did finally get into the game, but he spent a good deal of time waiting in line, and wondering.

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