Gabriel gone

Bradley Gabriel has left, and South Iredell is in serious trouble.

Gabriel's hiring as boys basketball coach at Robert L. Patton High School was approved Monday night.

Gabriel, who coached South's girls last season, previously accepted the South Iredell coaching position in late April.

His departure - some would say defection - is a huge blow to the Vikings hoops program. With Gary Sherrill at the helm for 34 total years, turnover and turmoil in the South program has never been a problem.

Now? A big problem.

It's almost June, and South is coachless in the school's second biggest sport.

Principal David Dixon told me he'll post the job and start making some sort of plan today.

Dixon and his staff seemed to have hired a great football coach in Ed Masterton when J.K. Adkins left.

They'll need an equally big hire to offset this shocking occurrence.