Mallard Creek to hire UNC grad as its next head football coach
Mallard Creek will name Kennedy Tinsley its next head football coach, sources told the Observer on Monday night.
Tinsley stepped down from his job at Southeast Guilford on Monday, the Greensboro News & Record reported. After he clears a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ background check, Tinsley will replace Mike Palmieri, the only coach in Mallard Creek’s history.
Palmieri resigned last month to take a job in Georgia.
Over the past 11 years, Mallard Creek is 136-15, including a 72-2 record in what is now the I-MECK 4A and generally recognized as the toughest conference in North Carolina by coaches and media members. In the past seven seasons, I-MECK conference teams have reached six state championship games. Palmieri is 139-34 in his career at the school.
Mallard Creek won three N.C. 4AA state titles in a row, from 2013-15. Vance won the 4AA title in 2019. Palmieri said the 2020 team is well-stocked and ready to compete for a state championship.
Tinsley coached three seasons at Southeast Guilford High School. He had a 32-9 overall record, including going 9-4 in 2019. His 2018 team lost 27-14 to Weddington in the N.C. 3AA state championship game.
Prior to Southeast Guilford, Tinsley was an assistant at Eastern Guilford. Tinsley played high school football at Greensboro Dudley and was a four-year letterman at North Carolina playing linebacker and fullback. He was a team captain as a senior.
As a senior in high school in 2005, Tinsley ran for 1,148 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading his team to an appearance in the 3AA state finals.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 10:47 PM.
