RALEIGH, N.C. — High school sports for the fall season will be extended due to the impacts of Helene. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) made the announcement on Wednesday.
This means the high school football regular season will extend by one week to November 8. Playoffs will now begin on November 15, and state finals are December 20-21.
NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker said the changes to the calendar were difficult but necessary.
“Keeping our student-athletes safe as we try to minimize risk of injury was central to any decisions made. We commend the work of the NCHSAA staff in its research, the Board of Directors in making time to consider these changes and the willingness of our host partners to accommodate any changes and make their venues available," Tucker said.
Here are the revised schedules for fall sports:
Football
Effective immediately, a minimum of three calendar days (72 hours) must occur in between contests.
- Reporting deadline: November 9, 11:59 p.m. (revised from November 1)
- Seeding: November 10 (Sunday, after 1 p.m.)
- First round: November 15
- Second round: November 22
- Third round: November 29
- Fourth round: December 6
- Regionals: December 13
- State Championships: December 20-21
Men's Soccer
Effective immediately, the weekly limitation is modified to allow affected schools to make up multiple postponed matches, not to exceed four in a week. No change was made to the daily limitation.
- Reporting deadline: November 6, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 31)
- Seeding: November 7
- First round: November 9
- Second Round: November 12
- Third Round: November 14
- Fourth Round: November 16
- Regionals: November 19
- State Championships: November 22-23
Women's Tennis - Individual
· Reporting deadline: October 14, 11:59 p.m. (revised from 3 p.m. to allow for an extra day of competition)
· Regionals: October 18-19
· State Championships: October 25-26
Women's Tennis - Dual Team
· Reporting deadline: October 17, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 10)
· Seeding: October 18
· First Round: October 21
· Second Round: October 23
· Third Round: October 28
· Fourth Round: October 30
· Regionals: November 5
· State Championships: November 9
Volleyball
Effective immediately, the weekly limitation is modified to allow affected schools to make up multiple postponed matches, not to exceed eight in a week. No change was made to the daily limitation.
· Reporting deadline: October 19, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 16)
· Seeding: October 20 (Sunday, after 1 p.m.)
· First Round: October 22
· Second Round: October 24
· Third Round: October 26
· Fourth Round: October 29
· Regionals: October 31
· State Championships: November 2
Cross Country
· Reporting deadline: October 22, 11:59 p.m. (revised from October 19)
· Regionals: October 26
· State Championships: November 2
Special Provision
The Board approved one (1) additional contest for all sports with a season limit. To exceed the season limit of contests, the following conditions must be met:
· Prior approval from NCHSAA
· The contest cannot exceed the daily or weekly limitations
· The contest must exceed the season limit for both schools
· The contest MUST NOT be entered into MaxPreps
