The search is narrowing for an athletic director to replace Coach Russell Morgan, Wilkes Board of Education Chairman Ricky Callaway said. An executive search committee is interviewing the top candidates this week, and the board has set a called meeting for Thursday, February 5, at 6 p.m. to meet and greet the chosen candidate and to vote on the choice.

The seven-member community committee narrowed the field from some 25 qualified candidates, Callaway said. The seven-person committee, consisting of Pete Gartrell, Ricky Callaway Jr., Detric Jones, Ed Geddings, Raleigh Turner, Skeet Willingham, and Jane Echols, has ranked the candidates and has passed their top choices to an executive committee consisting of Superintendent Joyce Williams, Dr. Rosemary W. Caddell, and WWCHS Principal Steve Echols.

After the executive committee has interviewed the final four candidates for the job, the board will consider the committee's recommendation and vote on it at the called meeting next Thursday night.