Pless coming back to North Hall

GAINESVILLE - One North Hall coach is coming home. Another known for rebuilding will be trying to resurrect a once-dominant program.

Chestatee High coach Bobby Pless is coming back to North Hall to take over the boys program. Pless was a longtime assistant under Greg Williams, who resigned last month.

Debra Blake, who turned around a struggling South Forsyth girls program, will coach the girls.

The announcements were made at Monday's Hall County School Board meeting.

Hall County Athletic Director Gordon Higgins said it's good to get two more coaching positions filled. The two hirings Monday make three basketball, not counting Chestatee's opening, and two football coaching changes in Gainesville and Hall County this year.

Higgins said Chestatee is now interviewing to fill Pless's spot. The West Hall football coaching slot is still open.

Pless won eight games at Chestatee in the school's first season and had the team competitive.

"These are great hires for North Hall," Higgins said. "North Hall just went through an unprecedented run of three straight state tournaments and Bobby Pless was very instrumental in that. I think there was a lot of sentiment to bring him back. He did a remarkable job at Chestatee winning that many games.

"Debra Blake is a solid coach. She took South Forsyth to the Sweet 16 two of the last three years and did a remarkable job overall. Plus, she's a great teacher and knows the game," Higgins said.

There was some small controversy over how Blake became available. She was dismissed after this past season without much reason given.

"No one is really sure why other than the principal over there just said he wanted to make a change. We checked and there were no ethics situations or anything negative in any way. It's odd, but North Hall will end up being the winner in the end," Higgins said.