PENDER VOLLEYBALL COACH HITS 600 CAREER VICTORY MARK

BURGAW — Veteran Pender High School volleyball coach Ray Horton has achieved a major milestone.

According to the Wilmington Star-News, earlier in the week Horton earned his 600th career victory with a win in the Tri-County Conference tournament semifinals over Heide Trask.

Pender fell behind in the first game 8-1 but rallied and went on the win in three straight, 25-19, 25-13, 25-12.

Horton is in his 26th year at Pender and has been coaching for 28 years. He plans to retire from coaching at the end of the season.

Pender is the defending NCHSAA state 1-A volleyball champion.

Based on what schools have reported to the NCHSAA, which is how the Association compiles coaching marks, Horton is the fourth volleyball coach to reach the 600-victory milestone. Jan Stanley of West Henderson is the all-time leader with 698 wins.