Class of 2014
Jerry Carter
Mr. Jerry Carter was a mathematics teacher at North Wilkes High School for 33 years. Mr. Carter started teaching in 1957 and retired in 1990. Mr. Carter was a member of the National Education Association and the North Carolina Association of Educators. Mr. Carter has continued to be involved in various community organizations, including the Mountain View Ruritan Club, the Friends of the Library since 1992, and the Ashe County Historical Society.
Pauline Carter
Mrs. Pauline Jones Carter was a librarian and media coordinator at North Wilkes High School for 33 years, from 1957 to 1990. Mrs. Carter was a member of the National Education Association, the North Carolina Association of Educators, and the North Carolina Library Association while at North Wilkes. In the community, Mrs. Carter has been a member of the Friends of the Library since 1992, and has also been a member of the Ashe County Historical Society.
Roger Caudle
Mr. Roger Caudle taught and coached at North Wilkes for 30 years. Mr. Caudle was a mathematics teacher who also coached baseball for 30 seasons, football for 21 seasons, and basketball for ten seasons. Mr. Caudle was named a baseball Coach of the Year twice during his career, and a Tri-County Coach of the Year once. During his stay at North Wilkes, Mr. Caudle was a member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, the National Education Association, the North Carolina Math Teachers Association, the National Baseball Association, and the North Carolina High School Coaches Association. Mr. Caudle has also been involved in the community as a member of the Mountain View Ruritan Club, as well as a member of the North Wilkes Booster Club for over 40 years and a coordinator for the Booster Club’s MerleFest activities for 10 years.
Dale Ellis
Mr. Dale Ellis was a student and athlete at North Wilkes High School from 1988 to 1992, and is currently the superintendent of Montgomery County Schools in Troy, North Carolina. Mr. Ellis was a member of the Key Club at North Wilkes, as well as the president of the Spanish Club and treasurer of the 1992 Senior Class. Mr. Ellis was a three-year letterman in football, a two-year letterman in track and field, and a senior year letterman in wrestling. Mr. Ellis was the 1992 North Wilkes Male Athlete of the Year, and won the Golden Helmet award that season for the football team’s best lineman. Mr. Ellis also football played for one season at Emory and Henry College before continuing his education at Appalachian State University. In December of 2010, Mr. Ellis was the Commencement Speaker at Appalachian State. Mr. Ellis has established the Howard Ellis Memorial Scholarship at North Wilkes, given annually to one male and one female student, and Mr. Ellis continues to be active in the community through his membership in the Mount Gilead Civitan’s Club and the Troy Rotary Club.
Christy Gambill
Ms. Christy Gambill was a stand-out volleyball, softball, and basketball player for four years at North Wilkes. Ms. Gambill, who had her number 24 basketball jersey retired in 1996, becoming the only North Wilkes basketball player to be so honored, played from 1993 to 1996. Ms. Gambill was a three-time Northwest 1A/2A All-Conference player, and three times won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award. Ms. Gambill, the 1996 North Wilkes Female Athlete of the Year, was a three-time Winston-Salem Journal All-Northwest Basketball Team member, and won the paper’s Mary Garber Award for the best basketball player in the area for the 1995-96 season. Ms. Gambill also received all-conference honors in volleyball and softball while at North Wilkes, and was a conference MVP in softball. Ms. Gambill, who tallied 1,962 career points and 1,109 career rebounds at North Wilkes, also played collegiately at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. As a Seahawk, Ms. Gambill set a school record of 100 starts, finished 4th all-time for the program in rebounds, 2nd in total free throws made, and 13th in scoring. Ms. Gambill was named a member of the Colonial Athletic Association’s Legends Team in 2007.
Clyde Holloway
Mr. Clyde Holloway has been a fixture in the Vikings’ community for over 40 years. Mr. Holloway was an important member of the athletics’ department, driving the school’s activity bus for various teams and organizations for 38 years. Mr. Holloway also drove a school bus for North Wilkes for 13 years. Mr. Holloway, who attends Double Creek Baptist Church, also helped run the chains for the North Wilkes football program for over 20 years. Mr. Holloway was a frequent substitute for the school’s custodial staff, and helped build the football concession stands and the baseball dug-outs on campus. Mr. Holloway has been a member of the North Wilkes Boosters Club for over 40 years, and for his activities at the school earned the 1994 Principal’s Award and the 1996 Unsung Hero Award.
David Johnson
Mr. David Johnson was a student, athlete, teacher, and coach at North Wilkes High School. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the principal at North Wilkes Middle School. Mr. Johnson, a member of the 1990 Vikings’ graduating class, was the first individual state champion for wrestling in the school’s history; Mr. Johnson won the state title in 1990, wrestling in the 130-pound weight class. After graduating from college, Mr. Johnson returned to North Wilkes as a teacher and wrestling coach, and led the Vikings to several conference championships. Mr. Johnson also coached several individual state champions during his tenure at North Wilkes. In the community, Mr. Johnson currently serves as a board member on several local non-profit organizations.
Jeff Peal
Mr. Jeff Peal was a teacher and coach at North Wilkes High School from 1986 to 1999. Mr. Peal was an ISS teacher for one year before joining the Social Studies Department in 1987. Mr. Peal severed as Department Chair for Social Studies for several years. As a coach, Mr. Peal led the 1998 wrestling team to a state championship. Mr. Peal, who also coached football, track, tennis, and golf, was the 1999 Mat News State Coach of the Year, and was named the conference coach of the year several times. Mr. Peal led his wrestling teams to seven conference championships and three times his team was the conference runner-up. Mr. Peal also led eight teams to conference tournament championships. As a coach, Mr. Peal’s squads qualified for the state wrestling dual team championships every year, and were undefeated in the regular season in 1996 and 1997. In 1994, his team was named the Academic State Champions. Mr. Peal finished his wrestling coaching career with over 240 wins, and helped led four different individual wrestlers to state championships. Mr. Peal is currently the Associate Superintendent of Alexander County Schools.
1998 State Championship Wrestling Team
The 1998 men’s wrestling team at North Wilkes was the second team in school history to win a state title, winning North Carolina’s state dual-team title for 1-A and 2-A schools over East Davidson. The Vikings were coached in 1998 by Mr. Jeff Peal, who was assisted by Mr. Brian Brown and Mr. Nathan Sidden. The roster of the 1998 state championship wrestling team featured Tony “T.J.” Anderson, Matthew Blackburn, Stacy Bowlin, Anthony Elledge, Anthony “Strawberry” Elledge, Dallas Hicks, Steven Kennedy, Reuben Loyola, Kris Minton, Avery Moretz, Josh Roberts, Justin Shell, Mitch Weot, and Justin Yale. Shannon Dillard Walker, Litta Adams Belk, and Karen Ball served as statisticians for the squad, and Tim Sexton served as cameraman.
Mr. Jerry Carter was a mathematics teacher at North Wilkes High School for 33 years. Mr. Carter started teaching in 1957 and retired in 1990. Mr. Carter was a member of the National Education Association and the North Carolina Association of Educators. Mr. Carter has continued to be involved in various community organizations, including the Mountain View Ruritan Club, the Friends of the Library since 1992, and the Ashe County Historical Society.
Pauline Carter
Mrs. Pauline Jones Carter was a librarian and media coordinator at North Wilkes High School for 33 years, from 1957 to 1990. Mrs. Carter was a member of the National Education Association, the North Carolina Association of Educators, and the North Carolina Library Association while at North Wilkes. In the community, Mrs. Carter has been a member of the Friends of the Library since 1992, and has also been a member of the Ashe County Historical Society.
Roger Caudle
Mr. Roger Caudle taught and coached at North Wilkes for 30 years. Mr. Caudle was a mathematics teacher who also coached baseball for 30 seasons, football for 21 seasons, and basketball for ten seasons. Mr. Caudle was named a baseball Coach of the Year twice during his career, and a Tri-County Coach of the Year once. During his stay at North Wilkes, Mr. Caudle was a member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, the National Education Association, the North Carolina Math Teachers Association, the National Baseball Association, and the North Carolina High School Coaches Association. Mr. Caudle has also been involved in the community as a member of the Mountain View Ruritan Club, as well as a member of the North Wilkes Booster Club for over 40 years and a coordinator for the Booster Club’s MerleFest activities for 10 years.
Dale Ellis
Mr. Dale Ellis was a student and athlete at North Wilkes High School from 1988 to 1992, and is currently the superintendent of Montgomery County Schools in Troy, North Carolina. Mr. Ellis was a member of the Key Club at North Wilkes, as well as the president of the Spanish Club and treasurer of the 1992 Senior Class. Mr. Ellis was a three-year letterman in football, a two-year letterman in track and field, and a senior year letterman in wrestling. Mr. Ellis was the 1992 North Wilkes Male Athlete of the Year, and won the Golden Helmet award that season for the football team’s best lineman. Mr. Ellis also football played for one season at Emory and Henry College before continuing his education at Appalachian State University. In December of 2010, Mr. Ellis was the Commencement Speaker at Appalachian State. Mr. Ellis has established the Howard Ellis Memorial Scholarship at North Wilkes, given annually to one male and one female student, and Mr. Ellis continues to be active in the community through his membership in the Mount Gilead Civitan’s Club and the Troy Rotary Club.
Christy Gambill
Ms. Christy Gambill was a stand-out volleyball, softball, and basketball player for four years at North Wilkes. Ms. Gambill, who had her number 24 basketball jersey retired in 1996, becoming the only North Wilkes basketball player to be so honored, played from 1993 to 1996. Ms. Gambill was a three-time Northwest 1A/2A All-Conference player, and three times won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award. Ms. Gambill, the 1996 North Wilkes Female Athlete of the Year, was a three-time Winston-Salem Journal All-Northwest Basketball Team member, and won the paper’s Mary Garber Award for the best basketball player in the area for the 1995-96 season. Ms. Gambill also received all-conference honors in volleyball and softball while at North Wilkes, and was a conference MVP in softball. Ms. Gambill, who tallied 1,962 career points and 1,109 career rebounds at North Wilkes, also played collegiately at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. As a Seahawk, Ms. Gambill set a school record of 100 starts, finished 4th all-time for the program in rebounds, 2nd in total free throws made, and 13th in scoring. Ms. Gambill was named a member of the Colonial Athletic Association’s Legends Team in 2007.
Clyde Holloway
Mr. Clyde Holloway has been a fixture in the Vikings’ community for over 40 years. Mr. Holloway was an important member of the athletics’ department, driving the school’s activity bus for various teams and organizations for 38 years. Mr. Holloway also drove a school bus for North Wilkes for 13 years. Mr. Holloway, who attends Double Creek Baptist Church, also helped run the chains for the North Wilkes football program for over 20 years. Mr. Holloway was a frequent substitute for the school’s custodial staff, and helped build the football concession stands and the baseball dug-outs on campus. Mr. Holloway has been a member of the North Wilkes Boosters Club for over 40 years, and for his activities at the school earned the 1994 Principal’s Award and the 1996 Unsung Hero Award.
David Johnson
Mr. David Johnson was a student, athlete, teacher, and coach at North Wilkes High School. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the principal at North Wilkes Middle School. Mr. Johnson, a member of the 1990 Vikings’ graduating class, was the first individual state champion for wrestling in the school’s history; Mr. Johnson won the state title in 1990, wrestling in the 130-pound weight class. After graduating from college, Mr. Johnson returned to North Wilkes as a teacher and wrestling coach, and led the Vikings to several conference championships. Mr. Johnson also coached several individual state champions during his tenure at North Wilkes. In the community, Mr. Johnson currently serves as a board member on several local non-profit organizations.
Jeff Peal
Mr. Jeff Peal was a teacher and coach at North Wilkes High School from 1986 to 1999. Mr. Peal was an ISS teacher for one year before joining the Social Studies Department in 1987. Mr. Peal severed as Department Chair for Social Studies for several years. As a coach, Mr. Peal led the 1998 wrestling team to a state championship. Mr. Peal, who also coached football, track, tennis, and golf, was the 1999 Mat News State Coach of the Year, and was named the conference coach of the year several times. Mr. Peal led his wrestling teams to seven conference championships and three times his team was the conference runner-up. Mr. Peal also led eight teams to conference tournament championships. As a coach, Mr. Peal’s squads qualified for the state wrestling dual team championships every year, and were undefeated in the regular season in 1996 and 1997. In 1994, his team was named the Academic State Champions. Mr. Peal finished his wrestling coaching career with over 240 wins, and helped led four different individual wrestlers to state championships. Mr. Peal is currently the Associate Superintendent of Alexander County Schools.
1998 State Championship Wrestling Team
The 1998 men’s wrestling team at North Wilkes was the second team in school history to win a state title, winning North Carolina’s state dual-team title for 1-A and 2-A schools over East Davidson. The Vikings were coached in 1998 by Mr. Jeff Peal, who was assisted by Mr. Brian Brown and Mr. Nathan Sidden. The roster of the 1998 state championship wrestling team featured Tony “T.J.” Anderson, Matthew Blackburn, Stacy Bowlin, Anthony Elledge, Anthony “Strawberry” Elledge, Dallas Hicks, Steven Kennedy, Reuben Loyola, Kris Minton, Avery Moretz, Josh Roberts, Justin Shell, Mitch Weot, and Justin Yale. Shannon Dillard Walker, Litta Adams Belk, and Karen Ball served as statisticians for the squad, and Tim Sexton served as cameraman.