NCHSAA to delay start of high school football playoffs, makes changes in other sports

With several areas in the eastern part of the state still dealing with flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew, the N.C. High School Athletic Association has been forced to change playoff dates. Almost all fall sports playoff dates are being affected, including high school football.

The 2016 NCHSAA high school football playoffs will begin Nov. 18 instead of Nov. 11.

“You have to do what’s in the best interest of everybody,” said Butler football coach Brian Hales. “With everything some of the folks up east are going through, I’m not sure football is foremost on their minds. We’ll do what we have to do and go from there.”

Already S.C. schools have taken a similar move and pushed back their football playoffs. Now the S.C. state championships and N.C. state championships will be played the same two days, Dec. 16 and 17. The Shrine Bowl is also scheduled for Dec. 17 and if it remains on that date, any players playing in state championships would need to be replaced.

Also, in the Charlotte-area, most teams have not been affected, schedule-wise, by the Hurricane. Most public school teams are scheduled to conclude regular-season play Nov. 4. With the playoffs now starting Nov. 18, it means those teams will get a bye week.

Butler, for example, plays at Porter Ridge Friday, then has a bye Oct. 28 before playing its annual regular-season finale against arch rival Independence Nov. 4. But now, the Bulldogs will get a second bye before starting the playoffs.

“Personally,” Hales said, “I’d prefer to play. But it’s another week to get guys caught up and another week for guys to get some work that may not have gotten as much, like jayvee guys coming up, so I could see a benefit there. But, end of the day, it’s not a huge deal. Not at all.”

▪ In addition to moving the playoffs back in most sports, the NCHSAA has also waved the weekly games limit for volleyball teams in an effort to let teams make up lost games. The daily limitation is still in place and no Sundays games or practice is permitted.

“The logistics of moving the fall championships dates, especially this close to the events are complex; however, we must do everything in our power to do what is best for our student-athletes in the state,” said Commissioner Que Tucker. “Keeping our young people safe as we try to minimize risk of injury must be paramount in our decisions.”

Below is a list of changes by sport.

Girls’ Tennis

Individual Regionals: October 21st-22nd (No Change)

Individual State Championships: October 28th-29th (No Change)

Dual-Team

reporting deadline October 19th (changed from October 17th)

Seeding: October 24th

First Round: October 25th

Second Round: November 1st

Third Round: November 3rd

Regionals: November 9th

State Championships: November 12th (Changed from November 5th)

Volleyball

Prior to 6:00 am October 25th, teams affected by the hurricane are permitted to exceed the weekly limitations, but not the daily limitations.

Seeding: October 25th (moved from October 19th)

First Round: October 26th

Second Round: October 27th

Third Round: October 29th

Fourth Round: November 1st

Semifinals: November 3rd

State Championship: November 5th (No Change)

Boys’ Soccer

Seeding: November 3rd (moved from October 31st)

First Round: November 5th

Second Round: November 8th

Third Round: November 10th

Fourth Round: November 12th

Regionals: November 15th

State Championship: November 19th (No Change)

Football

Sites TBD

Seeding: November 12th (changed from November 5th)

First Round: November 18th

Second Round: November 25th

Third Round: December 2nd

Regionals: December 9th

State Championships: December 16th & 17th (changed from December 9th & 10th)

This story was originally published October 17, 2016 at 1:05 PM with the headline "NCHSAA to delay start of high school football playoffs, makes changes in other sports."