Navigating the Shifting Landscape: High School Football Teams Adapt to Hurricane Disruptions
The recent disruptions caused by Hurricane Helene have presented a unique challenge for high school football teams across the Upstate region. With games missed and schedules upended, coaches and administrators have had to get creative in order to ensure their teams can complete their seasons and participate in the playoffs and all-star games. This article explores the various solutions and strategies employed by different regions to address the issue, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the high school football community.Overcoming the Obstacles: Upstate High School Football Teams Demonstrate Resilience
Extending the Season and Adjusting Schedules
The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) executive committee recognized the need to provide relief to the affected teams, and they responded by extending the season by one week. This decision was made with the intention of maintaining the same number of SCHSL football playoff teams and ensuring that all-star players, including state champions, could participate in the Shrine Bowl and North-South games on December 21st.However, this solution did not entirely solve the problem, as regions with larger numbers of teams still faced a dilemma. Coaches and administrators were left to devise their own creative solutions to address the unique challenges faced by their respective regions.Regional Approaches: Diverse Solutions for Diverse Challenges
In the Greenville area, Region 1-AAAAA opted to squeeze in extra games by implementing a Thursday-Tuesday-Saturday schedule for the next 10 days, starting in Week 8. Meanwhile, Region 2-AAAAA in the Spartanburg area chose not to make up the missed Week 6 games and instead played their Week 5 games on November 8th to conclude the regular season.In another example, Dorman and Byrnes, two prominent Upstate teams, moved up their Week 5 matchup to be played on a Wednesday night, September 25th, before Hurricane Helene hit late on Thursday. This allowed them to have open dates at the end of the season as the rest of the region caught up to six region games.Navigating the Challenges: Coaches Weigh In
Boiling Springs coach Matt Reel acknowledged that there is no single "right or wrong answer" to the situation, emphasizing that each region and team must do what they believe is best for their student-athletes.J.L. Mann (4-1, 2-0) and T.L. Hanna (3-2, 1-1), both ranked in the Upstate Super 25, will face off on Thursday, October 3rd, as part of the quick turnarounds towards double games the following week. T.L. Hanna coach Jason Tone expressed concerns about the physical toll of this schedule, stating, "Football is not meant to be played that way. But I guess it is what it is."On the other hand, J.L. Mann coach Steve Watson, who voted in favor of the revamped schedule, said he was "actually happy about it, compared to the alternative of not being able to play 10 games." He acknowledged the challenge but believed this solution was the best option to ensure his team could complete their season.Prioritizing Player Safety: Adjusting Practices and Focusing on Mental Preparation
Recognizing the physical demands of the condensed schedule, Region 1 teams, according to Coach Tone, are likely to limit full-pad practices during the next two weeks. Instead, they are focusing on mental preparation and walkthroughs, aiming to keep their players fresh and healthy for the upcoming playoffs.Coach Tone likened this stretch to "fall camp all over again," emphasizing the importance of ensuring their players have their "legs under them" for the postseason. This approach underscores the coaches' commitment to prioritizing the well-being and long-term success of their student-athletes.Determining Playoff Seeding: Innovative Solutions
With some teams not playing each other due to the schedule changes, the regions have had to devise innovative solutions for determining playoff seeding. In the case of Boiling Springs and Dorman, who did not face each other, coaches voted to use the MaxPreps RPI rankings, a new system being implemented for the first time, to fairly seed like-finishing teams across different regions.Coach Reel explained that this approach was seen as the "most fair and equal thing" they could do, as it ensures that all teams are evaluated based on the same criteria, regardless of the number of games played.New
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