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Decision About playoffs will be made Wed

Deana_King

Well-Known Member
Staff
May 31, 2001
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Fall Season Update​

Good morning,

Our thoughts and prayers continue for our membership in Western North Carolina. We appreciate the consideration and compassion being shown to them.

During the past week, the NCHSAA Board of Directors and staff were busy collecting information relative to the impact of Hurricane Helene on the Fall Sports Season and the Playoffs. Using this gathered information, decisions will be made by the Board members and announced on Wednesday morning. Thank you for your patience.

If you have any questions, please contact Brad Alford, Rhonda Dreibelbis or Karen DeHart.

Sincerely,

Que Tucker
Commissioner
 

Fall Season Update​

Good morning,

Our thoughts and prayers continue for our membership in Western North Carolina. We appreciate the consideration and compassion being shown to them.

During the past week, the NCHSAA Board of Directors and staff were busy collecting information relative to the impact of Hurricane Helene on the Fall Sports Season and the Playoffs. Using this gathered information, decisions will be made by the Board members and announced on Wednesday morning. Thank you for your patience.

If you have any questions, please contact Brad Alford, Rhonda Dreibelbis or Karen DeHart.

Sincerely,

Que Tucker
Commissioner
No way they cancel the playoffs right?
 
Seems it would be very difficult to push them back more than a week, two at the most, unless they decrease the number teams and rounds.
 
Canceling the playoffs would blow my mind. However it really doesn't seem that far fetched given all that has happened in Western NC. I do not see a delay longer than 2 weeks if they choose that route. This also bleeds over into Basketball for alot of 1A & 2A schools have half the football team playing basketball in the winter. So many dominos could fall based on the decision that is made Wednesday.
 
I think it would be crazy to just cancel them all together.

Maybe get rid of the first round and push it back two weeks. This would only cause it to start a week later than normal. You would probably have to push winter sports back a week as well, but I think this would be a lot better than canceling the whole playoffs.

Original schedule:
Playoff Seeding November 2
1st Round November 8
2nd Round November 15
3rd Round November 22
4th Round November 29
Regional Round December 6
State Championship December 13-14

New proposed (from me) schedule:
Seeding moved to - 11/15
Round of 32 (this would be like the 2nd round, since there are normally 64 teams that make it) - 11/22
Round of 16 - 11/29
Round of 8 - 12/6
Round of 4 - 12/13
Championship - 12/20-21
 
I think it would be crazy to just cancel them all together.

Maybe get rid of the first round and push it back two weeks. This would only cause it to start a week later than normal. You would probably have to push winter sports back a week as well, but I think this would be a lot better than canceling the whole playoffs.

Original schedule:
Playoff Seeding November 2
1st Round November 8
2nd Round November 15
3rd Round November 22
4th Round November 29
Regional Round December 6
State Championship December 13-14

New proposed (from me) schedule:
Seeding moved to - 11/15
Round of 32 (this would be like the 2nd round, since there are normally 64 teams that make it) - 11/22
Round of 16 - 11/29
Round of 8 - 12/6
Round of 4 - 12/13
Championship - 12/20-21
I like your proposed schedule. And I personally think that's what they'll do. Canceling the playoffs would be to extreme. If they do that, why continue to play the rest of the season
 
Why would the complete playoff be cancelled? I can assure you that is not even in the discussion. Some schools may opt not to continue their season. I expect the strong programs will do everything they can to make it come together. Some regular season games will most likely be lost.

I believe the state does not want to extend the season out to Christmas week but may not have other options.

I like the idea of 32 teams but I am sure that will bring heavy complaints especially from schools that would qualify with 64 teams but do not make it with 32 and significantly hit by the storm.

Extending the season is a much bigger issue for 1A and 2A schools due to the number of footballers that makeup the winter sports teams.

NC and the NCHSAA are in uncharted waters.
 
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I think you push things back 2 weeks. Cut the winter season short and eliminate non conference games if needed for schools that go deep into playoffs. Allow 4 games a week to be played if needed. Funnel some of that cash they are sitting on to schools to account for gate loses. Schools that can't continue, just don't. It sucks.

Just remember this is more than just a football decision. All playoffs are impacted by this.

There isn't going to be a perfect response. Someone will feel slighted either way it goes. Truly uncharted territory we are in.
 
Can the SMC teams get out across the state to 40 to travel if needed?
Yes, they can. The 40 closure does not impact any of the playoffs for SMC. I40 is closed at exit 20 which is the North end of Haywood County (Tuscola District) All SMC schools traveling East or opponents traveling West would take Us74 and hit 40 before this. There is not much road damage/if any West of Haywood County to my knowledge.
 

What section of I-40 is closed?​

On Tuesday, I-40 was reopened east of Asheville, but I-40 at mile marker 3 in Haywood County will remain closed indefinitely.

Both I-40 East and West are closed from mile marker 432 in Tennessee east to mile marker 3 in North Carolina. I-40 West is closed starting at mile marker 3 in North Carolina west through mile marker 435 in Tennessee, according to TDOT.

 
Chill out dude, last I heard 40west was closed lol. It’s not spreading false anything you dummy.
Well if what you said is false then yes its false information. Just saying there is enough of that going around so please just makes sure its correct bf posting about it! I mean you said it was closed and will be for a long time from Statesville to Asheville?? And pretty sure you the dumb one here!
 
Well if what you said is false then yes its false information. Just saying there is enough of that going around so please just makes sure its correct bf posting about it! I mean you said it was closed and will be for a long time from Statesville to Asheville?? And pretty sure you the dumb one here!
At one point from Statesville to Asheville was Closed or local traffic only - I don’t believe That’s the case anymore but I have notice there is somewhat less traffic last few days but It wasn’t a false statement but it is open now
 
I think this would impact 2A and maybe 3A more.

1A would be:
Mitchell
Avery
Mtn Heritage
Rosman
Maybe Polk and Draughn


Are there any I am missing?

That looks correct for 1A.

@BlueDevil1996 listed several counties/school systems that are closed or delayed. I just put the division they are in.

***Closed thru 10/11***
Watauga County High - 4A
Ashe County High - 3A
Mountain Heritage - 1A
Hendersonville - 2A
West Henderson -3A
North Henderson - 3A
East Henderson - 3A

Athletics can resume Thursday:
Rosman - 1A
Brevard - 2A

***Closed Until Further Notice***
Avery County - 1A
T.C. Roberson - 4A
A.C. Reynolds - 4A
North Buncombe - 3A
Owen - 2A
Enka - 3A
Erwin - 3A
Polk County - 1A
Mitchell County - 1A
Madison - 2A

Edit to add:
Both are closed this week, I would imagen probably longer but could not find any set details other than the county would give a 48 hour notice before schools opened.
Pisgah - 3A
Tuscola - 3A
 
Last edited:
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At one point from Statesville to Asheville was Closed or local traffic only - I don’t believe That’s the case anymore but I have notice there is somewhat less traffic last few days but It wasn’t a false statement but it is open now
I26 into Tennessee is closed to trucks so many truckers looking to make their way around WNC would be using I77N or I85S I presume, so I could see I40 having less traffic west of those intersections.
 
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That looks correct for 1A.

@BlueDevil1996 listed several counties/school systems that are closed or delayed. I just put the division they are in.

***Closed thru 10/11***
Watauga County High - 4A
Ashe County High - 3A
Mountain Heritage - 1A
Hendersonville - 2A
West Henderson -3A
North Henderson - 3A
East Henderson - 3A

Athletics can resume Thursday:
Rosman - 1A
Brevard - 2A

***Closed Until Further Notice***
Avery County - 1A
T.C. Roberson - 4A
A.C. Reynolds - 4A
North Buncombe - 3A
Owen - 2A
Enka - 3A
Erwin - 3A
Polk County - 1A
Mitchell County - 1A
Madison - 2A

Not on original post: I'm not sure about Pisgah high school team. I know the field looked like it was destroyed.
Haywood County schools are out this week, so both Pisgah and Tuscola. There are rumors floating around but I’ll leave that for another day. The town of Canton is still closed to through traffic for cleanup and Clyde is still in rough shape. Many in our county still do not have internet connectivity and the main server for Haywood County Schools was in one of the buildings that flooded so that is preventing the option to go to remote learning.

Pisgah’s field was destroyed so we would either be road warriors the rest of the year, playing at Bethel Middle, or for playoffs use Tuscola’s field since they don’t use it much for playoffs. 😂. ***Just aggravating the Tuscola folks***.
 
At one point from Statesville to Asheville was Closed or local traffic only - I don’t believe That’s the case anymore but I have notice there is somewhat less traffic last few days but It wasn’t a false statement but it is open now
MHSBigBlue06 said:
Think 40 from Statesville , west is closed and will remain that way for a long time
He said this!!!!! Closed and will remain closed for a long time! Was never said Statesville to Asheville will be closed a long time. Now Ashville to Tenn line is different. It was actually close at Mcdowell not Statesville! Yes it was false info!
 
That looks correct for 1A.

@BlueDevil1996 listed several counties/school systems that are closed or delayed. I just put the division they are in.

***Closed thru 10/11***
Watauga County High - 4A
Ashe County High - 3A
Mountain Heritage - 1A
Hendersonville - 2A
West Henderson -3A
North Henderson - 3A
East Henderson - 3A

Athletics can resume Thursday:
Rosman - 1A
Brevard - 2A

***Closed Until Further Notice***
Avery County - 1A
T.C. Roberson - 4A
A.C. Reynolds - 4A
North Buncombe - 3A
Owen - 2A
Enka - 3A
Erwin - 3A
Polk County - 1A
Mitchell County - 1A
Madison - 2A

Edit to add:
Both are closed this week, I would imagen probably longer but could not find any set details other than the county would give a 48 hour notice before schools opened.
Pisgah - 3A
Tuscola - 3A

Seems like a pretty balanced impact then across all divisions.
 
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