Moore County Schools sent out a press release Nov. 8 announcing that North Moore head football coach Greg Simmons had resigned Monday after three seasons of guiding the Mustangs’ gridiron program.

“All of us at North Moore appreciate Mr. Simmons’ leadership of the team over the past three years, and we wish him the best in his future coaching endeavors,” said North Moore Principal Jenny Purvis.

Simmons came to North Moore from Northwest Guilford High School in 2010 where he served as the defensive coordinator for the team. He previously coached at Randleman High School for eight years.

Simmons took over for Butch Cleaveland, who guided the Mustangs for three seasons.

When Simmons took over the football program, the Mustangs had won only five games during the previous four seasons, going 5-37 during that span and winning four of 24 Yadkin Valley Conference games.

Simmons stated, “I have enjoyed the time I have served as North Moore’s head football coach and I want to wish the students the best. I will be rooting for the players.”

During the three seasons heading up the football program, Simmons’ teams had one win that came on a forfeit.

In the past decade, the Mustangs’ most successful period was the 2004 and 2005 seasons when they finished with back-to-back 6-5 seasons under Bryan Lee in 2004 and Jim Hicks during 2005. Both teams lost their first-round playoff games.

Lee went 4-3 in Yadkin Valley Conference action for a fourth-place finish while Hicks was 3-3 for fourth place in the league standings.

“With the resignation of coach Simmons, we will begin the process of searching for a new head coach for the Mustangs’ 2013 season,” said Bob Collins, the school’s athletic director. “Making a change is always a challenge. It is imperative that we do our homework well, move precisely through a thorough process, and review a top-notch pool of candidates.

“We are very proud of our athletic programs here at North Moore and always want to ensure we are seeking out the best possible candidate for leading our students.”