HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: As it weighs options, NCHSAA tells schools to use open dates for makeup football games

HobbsDailyReport.com

CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has advised high schools to try to play any missed games on open dates while it weighs options on a timeline to finish the regular season and start the playoffs.

In a memo sent to athletic directors by Tra Waters, assistant commissioner for Sports and Championships, the NCHSAA gave the following guidelines as the state deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence:

  • Schools that have missed football practice for five or more consecutive school days must practice a minimum of three days — wearing equipment — before resuming competition. As many football student-athletes have been unable to undergo physical activity, especially while wearing equipment during the hurricane, these mandatory practice days should be used to re-acclimatize the student-athletes to wearing equipment.
  • The NCHSAA is studying ways to adjust the state playoffs and will make recommendations to the Board of Directors no later than Sept. 30. Schools should attempt to play during bye weeks, if possible. If not, games should be scheduled for the next available Monday or Tuesday in accordance with NCHSAA Handbook policy 2.2.8.

The football season is scheduled for 12 weeks of playing dates that began on Aug. 16. The regular season is currently scheduled to close on Nov. 1 and the state playoffs are scheduled to begin on Nov. 8.

All games scheduled by schools in the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A have been played, as many of those schools moved games scheduled last Friday night up by one or two nights. None of the 23 schools in those Greater Hickory area leagues waited to play their games last Friday night.

The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) this week decided to extend the regular season schedule there by one week.

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