South Carolina high school football coaches are hoping to get an extension to 2024 season as a large part of the state deals with the lingering effects from Hurricane Helene.
“We kind of hope the South Carolina High School League comes in and gives us another week,” Newberry High coach Cedrick Jeter told The State on Monday. “I know a large part of the western part of the state has no power.”
The S.C. High School League could decide to add a week to a regular season that’s currently set to end Nov. 1, which would also reschedule the start and end to the playoffs. If that happens, makeup games could be played during the extra week of the season. And for schools that aren’t affected, the extra time would serve as an off week before the playoffs.
SCHSL commissioner Jerome Singleton told The State on Monday afternoon that no decision has been made on adding a week to the regular season yet. He did say that suspending or pausing the season is not an option, especially for schools that will be able to play this week.
“Right now, we are monitoring things and seeing the after-effects,” Singleton said. “I don’t want a knee-jerk reaction. Let’s see how it shapes up. Right now, if we can play this coming Friday, we will. If we can’t, then we won’t. Any decision that needs to be made, I don’t see the urgency to make it now then have to be changed.
“... We still have a lot of regular season still in play, so it would be premature to step out and come up with something.”
North Carolina’s public school sports association is considering schedule changes because of the hurricane, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
South Carolina’s league in 2015 altered the statewide schedule because of flooding. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew forced the season to be pushed back two weeks, with state championships held in mid-December on the same day as the Shrine Bowl. The high school football season in 2018 was pushed back a week because of Hurricane Florence.
Almost 20 high school football games were postponed statewide last week with many others played Wednesday or Saturday. A few games were scheduled to be made up Monday night.
Some games have already been postponed for this week.
“I just don’t want my kids to play eight games,” Jeter said. The Bulldogs’ season slate calls for 10 games. “For a lot of them guys, it is the last time they will play football. We will see what happens and make the best of it.”
Jeter said he was without power until Sunday evening. He’s been in touch with his players as much as possible. Newberry County is out of school through at least Wednesday. Most Midlands schools canceled classes Monday or went into e-learning.
The storm caused damage and disruption across South Carolina but especially in the Upstate. Some of the hardest-hit areas in the Midlands were in Newberry, Saluda and Lexington counties.
Saluda High football coach Stewart Young said they are likely out of school all week. They were scheduled to be off Friday as part of fall break, but they’re trying to be ready in case they play American Leadership Academy as scheduled.
The team was able to practice Monday morning, Young said, and it was a good way for kids to come together.
“There are kids that haven’t showered or had good meals. We are going to feed them, let them shower,” Young said. “Our school is really good about that. They have opened up the doors of the school to let kids come play. They are shooting basketball, charging their phones. It has been kind of like a meeting place.”
Young was asked if an extension to the season would help.
“It makes a lot of sense,” he said.
Andre Cook of Mauldin High School in Greenville County told The State that he is without power at home and that many of the schools in the county don’t have it as well.
Greenville County Schools announced Monday afternoon there will be no classes for the rest of the week. A decision on the county’s athletic events will be made Wednesday. Cherokee County Schools also are closed through Friday.
As of Monday afternoon, 715,390 people were without power across the state, according to poweroutage.us. Dominion Energy — which serves 24 of the state’s 46 counties — said Sunday night that power restoration might not come until Thursday for some of those counties.
The Aiken County School District announced over the weekend all extracurricular activities were canceled this week. The district is off school the next two weeks because of a planned fall break.
Aiken County schools — Aiken, South Aiken, Midland Valley and North Augusta — are in Region 4-4A with Airport, Brookland-Cayce, Gilbert and Gray Collegiate. That region met Sunday to discuss possibly tweaking the schedule and moving games around on the schedule but they decided to keep the same schedule and not count games that aren’t played.
Jeter, Newberry’s coach, said teams in Region 4-3A are hoping to meet in the next day or so to discuss things. That region includes Newberry, Keenan, Swansea and Aiken County schools Fox Creek and Silver Bluff.
The S.C. Independent School Association, which includes most of the state’s private schools, is also dealing with postponements but built Oct. 18 into all of its teams’ schedules as an extra bye week. That date that will now be for any necessary makeup games.
Singleton and the SCHSL sent out an e-mail to schools on Monday about the situation.
“We encourage all member schools to evaluate their local conditions and make informed decisions regarding practices, games, and events. Please consider the safety of your student-athletes and community members when determining the best course of action,” Singleton wrote in the email. “We will keep you updated as more information becomes available and as we continue to assess the situation statewide. Your cooperation and understanding during this challenging time are greatly appreciated.”
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