Hurricane Helene's lingering effects cause more football postponements in Savannah area

Hurricane Helene’s lingering effects cause more football postponements in Savannah area

Posted by Admin October 2, 2024 Football

Hurricane Helene has passed, but the lingering effects from the catastrophic storm continue to alter the landscape of the high school football season in Georgia.

The Georgia High School Association announced on Tuesday that it changed its football schedule by adding a week to the regular season, so teams can make up games from the week of Sept. 27 that were postponed by the storm.

The last week of the regular season was set to be Nov. 1, but has now been extended to Nov. 8, and the playoffs will begin the next week with opening round games set for Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16.

But a number of games have been postponed this week as areas that were hit hardest by Helene aren’t able to host games scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4.

Calvary Day’s Region 3-3A game at Long County has been postponed until Nov. 8. South Effingham’s game at Greenbrier in Evans, near Augusta, has also been postponed.

All six games involving teams from the Savannah Chatham Public School System have been postponed, according to a release posted on X by the SCCPSS at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday.

“All athletic events are cancelled for the remainder of the week to include the weekend. Updates regarding any rescheduled games will be provided in future communications,” the statement read.

Those games include Ware County at New Hampstead; Beach at Islands; Groves at Southeast Bulloch; Windsor Forest at Jenkins; Liberty County at Johnson and Savannah High at ECI.

Brunswick’s game at Bradwell Institute set for Friday has been postponed until Nov. 8, and its game from Sept. 27 with visiting Greenbrier is scheduled to be made up on Tuesday, Oct. 15, with a 5 p.m. kickoff.

Games that are still on as of Wednesday afternoon include Benedictine’s Region 1-4A matchup at Warner Robins, Savannah Christian’s Region 3-A Division I game at crosstown rival Savannah Country Day and Richmond Hill’s Region 1-6A opener with visiting Tift County.

Bryan County is also scheduled to play Friday at Screven County. In non-GHSA action, Bethesda Academy is still set to host Beaufort Academy, while St. Andrew’s hosts Harvest Community and Memorial Day hits the road to face Crisp Academy in 8-man action.

The GHSA had some flexibility with its playoff schedule as there was a bye week on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving. The bye week was installed because Mercedes Benz Stadium is hosting the SEC Championship game on Dec. 7. Now quarterfinal matchups will be played on Nov. 29, with the state semifinals set for Dec. 7 and the state championship games set for Dec 16-18 at Mercedes Benz Stadium.