An all-conference performer in three sports for Hillsborough Cedar Ridge, Pappas will concentrate on football and basketball for the Chargers, eschewing baseball in 2012.

"He came to this decision to transfer by himself," said his father, former Cedar Ridge Director of Athletics Jim Pappas. "He has friends there at Northwood. After the way things went down here, he thought this was the right thing to do."

Cam Pappas was caught in the harsh glare of public scrutiny as his father was relieved Dec. 20, 2010 of his basketball coaching duties and his position as A.D. after a complaint that he had made a racially insensitive remark to a student.

Jim Pappas remained as a physical education teacher at Cedar Ridge, where classes ended Friday, the same day as the announcement that his son will transfer.

A 6-0, 180-pound football quarterback and basketball guard, Pappas also played baseball for Cedar Ridge, making the Carolina 2-A all-conference team in each sport.

Playing third base and pitching this spring, Pappas batted .538, with an on-base percentage of .613. He recorded one decision on the mound and went 1-0 in helping the Red Wolves (14-10) reach the state playoffs.

Playing a reserve role under his father alongside older brother Josh Pappas and Carolina-9 Player of the Year Jake Lliteras, Cam helped the 2010 Cedar Ridge basketball team go 26-3 and reach the state quarterfinals his sophomore year. Last winter, Cedar Ridge went 16-10 and returned to the NCHSAA tournament.

In football, Pappas passed for 1,985 yards, 132.3 per game, and 18 touchdowns last fall in leading Cedar Ridge to a 12-3 record and the NCHSAA 2-AA state semifinals. He completed 6 of 13 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in a dramatic 28-20 third-round win at Northwood, taking the Red Wolves on their deepest playoff run to date.

Northwood's Bill Hall and Jim Pappas, who coached together at Pinecrest until the head football coach there was switched, arrived together in Pittsboro in 1988. Hall was an assistant under Pappas, who was head football coach at Northwood 1989-1995.

After Jim Pappas left Northwood, he became head basketball coach and athletic director at Cedar Ridge in 2001.

Hall moved up to head coach at Northwood in 2000. He's led the Chargers to as far as the N.C. High School Athletic Association's third round five straight years.