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Long Time Coach Retires At Mountain Heritage

BARRY JOHNSON RETIRES AT MOUNTAIN HERITAGE

BURNSVILLE— One of the veteran men’s head basketball coaches in North Carolina has announced his retirement.

Mountain Heritage boys basketball coach Barry Johnson will retire after his team made its deepest run in the state playoffs in school history. r

Johnson had been with Yancey County Schools for the past 32 years and built a 454-267 career record during the past 29 years at Mountain Heritage.

“I’m a guy who prays about these things,” Johnson said in the Asheville Citizen-Times. “This certainly wasn’t a quick decision, but it’s time to go. I’m very proud of what the team did this year. But whenever you’ve been doing something for 32 years, I can tell you that I was proud even when my teams didn’t get to a point like this.”

Western Highlands Conference champion Mountain Heritage lost 70-49 to eventual state champion East Rutherford in the 2-A Western Regional finals.