realignment

Participation rose in many sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for the 2023-24 school year in numbers compiled by the governing body. Based on the NCHSAA’s totals that came from member schools and released in July, there were increases in participants in every sport except for baseball compared to 2022-23. This spring, there was a 1.4 percent decline with 10,574 baseball players. There were significant boosts in boys’ golf (7 percent) and boys’ lacrosse (6 percent). The largest increase came in what’s called winter spirit (cheerleading). The uptick came in part because 60 schools joined that competition…