Davis Whitfield, the commissioner of the N.C. High School Athletic Association, said holding state indoor track and field championships outdoors was the best solution the NCHSAA board could find.

The University of North Carolina's Eddie Smith Fieldhouse is only the suitable indoor facility in the state and that site is unavailable because of construction at UNC's Kenan Stadium. The Smith Fieldhouse is being used for storage and as a weight room.

The NCHSAA Board of Directors considered moving the meet to an indoor facility out-of-state, but transportation and insurance issues complicated that option. The board considered temporarily storing the contents in the fieldhouse somewhere else.

"We looked at a lot of options," said Que Tucker, the deputy commissioner of the NCHSAA. "We settled on what was the best solution."

The NCHSAA will hold its indoor championship on Feb. 12. The meet will be run outside but use indoor distances and apparatus. There has been some interest by schools in Cumberland and Wake County in being the host, but no site has been chosen.

"It is not a solution that we liked, but it is the best solution we could find," Whitfield said. "Our athletes are used to training outdoors for indoor track. This year, they will compete in the same conditions they practice in."

The only caveat with the outdoor indoor championship is the weather. If the weather is too cold, the meet probably will be postponed.

"We need to consult with our sports medicine people to find out what is too cold," Tucker said. "Obviously, we don't want to put our athletes, coaches and spectators in a dangerous situation."

Indoor track is not the only championship affected by the Kenan construction. UNC has been the host of three football championship games in the past, but now only two championships will be held there.

Cheerleading: Cardinal Gibbons won the super large division of the N.C. High School Athletic Association state invitational cheerleading championship Saturday at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The NCHSAA meet brought together 2,336 cheerleaders from 133 member schools for the competition.

Gibbons won the division for squads with 21 or more participants. The Crusaders topped second-place Millbrook 122.2-119.6. Green Hope was sixth, 110.75.

Charlotte Ardrey Kell won the medium varsity (13 to 16 members) ahead of Panther Creek, 119.95-117. They were followed by Harnett Central (115.75), Holly Springs (115.7) and Cary (108.3).