End of Union Pines-North Moore rivalry in football???

[RD28327]

The Union Pines-North Moore football rivalry ending because of next years's NCHSAA conference realignment??? What a bunch of bull!!! UP drops from a seven-team conference to a six-team league while North Moore drops from a nine-team football conference to an eight-team conference for football. Surely, both schools can accommodate each other.

This rivalry goes back to when both teams were members of the Central Tar Heel 2A Conference throughout the 70s and early 80s. This rivalry also dates back to the 60s when both schools opened. And, UP usually brings North Moore its biggest gates and vice versa.

 

[RD28327]

UP has over 1300 students, while North Moore has just over 600 students. In the series, UP leads 39-18 having won the last 11 contests. Last Mustang wins were in 2004 & 2005. NM dressed last Friday night on varsity between 30-40, UP dressed between 50-60. NM had 29 dressed in the JV game, UP had numbers in the 50s on the JV. Union Pines opened in 1964, NM opened the year after that, and they've been playing each other in football ever since, sometimes twice per season in the 70s. Both were members of the Central Tar Heel 2A conference in the 70s and early 80s. NM officially became 1A in 1985. UP moved up to 3A in 2001. UP brings in a lot of $$$ for the Mustangs and vice versa. NM is much different than the southern part of Moore County as it is much more rural whereas Southern Moore County is golf courses and somewhat more urban and reliant on tourism. Sometimes Moore County folks act like they're so stinking rich that they don't need to work and raise money. I'm so poor, that I can't even pay attention!!! I would like to hear from the North Moore faithful about this matter.