Hurricanes have affected the eastern North Carolina area for quite some time, and each time, there are many challenges that high school athletic directors face when rescheduling events for their athletes.

With Hurricane Dorian en route to the shores of the Carolina coast Thursday, there have been many cancellations and postponements so far, and likely more to follow.

So far, Northside’s football game was moved to Wednesday, Southside’s football game against Perquimans has been postponed until Oct. 4, and Washington’s football game against D.H. Conley is still in search of a postponement date, which will certainly be after the storms have passed through the area.

Southside, Northside and Washington have cancelled all sporting events through Thursday and Friday, as schools have also been dismissed for those days as well.

Washington’s Athletic Director and head football coach Jon Blank spoke on the struggles of rescheduling with other athletic directors.

“Sometimes coming to a mutual agreement on a reschedule date is the most difficult part,” Blank said. “There’s never an ideal day, whether it be an early ‘what if’ reschedule, or choosing a Saturday or Monday. Nobody wants to play a game on a short week. Sometimes both teams have the same bye week and that can make everything easier, but teams still have to mutually agree to play on that date.”

Football games are notoriously known for using a full week to prepare for an opponent, and that’s why it can be difficult to reschedule their games.

In most sports, if the game is not against a conference opponent, then the game is usually cancelled.  Make up dates are possible, but once conference play starts, it’s a completely different situation. All of those games must be played.

While sports aren’t the main focus during a time of angst and uncertainty before and during a hurricane, rescheduling is still a big part of it. Southside’s Athletic Director Andre Quinerly found difficulties in rescheduling as well.

“The hardest thing about getting everything rescheduled is finding gatekeepers and concession workers (for the postponement date),” Quinerly said. “Then the changes in preparation to one opponent when you have been preparing for a different one.”

Southside’s football team halted their preparation for Perquimans and moved on to Granville Central for next Friday night.

This week, Washington High School will serve as a storm shelter beginning on Thursday morning at 8 a.m.