ALBEMARLE — With the release of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 2019-2020 Wells Fargo Conference Cup standings last week, it was announced that three Stanly County high schools came out on top.
West Stanly was named the champion of the Rocky River Conference (2A/3A), while Gray Stone Day and South Stanly finished with a tie for first place in the Yadkin Valley Conference (1A).
The annual championships awarded by the NCHSAA are given to the top school in terms of total athletic performance in each conference in North Carolina. Beginning in 1980, Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia) has sponsored the program where points are awarded based on standings and participation in conference play.
For this year’s edition of the cup, the final standings were generated while taking into account the shortened seasons.
With 57 points, West Stanly won the RRC cup for the fourth straight year with the assistance of conference championships in women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s cross country, and volleyball. The Colts hold Wells Fargo Conference Cup championships for 2005-06, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20.
Central Academy finished second with 49 points and Mount Pleasant claimed third place with 48. Montgomery Central (38), Anson (35.5) and Forest Hills (33.5) rounded out the rest of the RRC standings.
With a conference-leading 475 points, Gray Stone Day and South Stanly landed at the top of the YVC. Gray Stone Day claimed championships in men’s soccer, women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving. Meanwhile, South Stanly recorded conference titles in men’s cross country, women’s golf, and a co-championship in men’s basketball.
North Stanly found itself at third place in the standings with 455 points. North Moore (382.5), Uwharrie Charter (372.5), Chatham Central (317.5), North Rowan (305), Albemarle (292.5) and South Davidson (265) filled out the rest of the YVC standings.
On Sept. 21, the NCHSAA officially recognized the 2019-2020 Wells Fargo State Cup winners: Lincoln Charter (1A), Carrboro (2A), Weddington (3A), and Cardinal Gibbons (4A). Out of those four, Cardinal Gibbons was the only back-to-back winner of the state cup.