All Friday high school football games postponed

Hurricane Irene put a halt to high school football Friday night.

Eight Group AAA season openers were scheduled, including five Beach District games, but all were postponed.

Next up: figuring out when to reschedule.

King’s Fork at Booker T. Washington has been tentatively set for 5 p.m. Monday, while Norcom at Wilson is slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Otherwise, the schedule is in shambles.

Beach teams already have games Thursday.

“I don’t know how they’re going to figure it out,” Bayside coach Darnell Moore said.

Bruce Phelps, the coordinator of student activities for Virginia Beach Schools, said it won’t be easy.

He said a plan has been discussed in which teams will play two games in at least one week with possible games on Thursdays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Principals would have to approve the plan.

“That’s pretty much the only way we can do it because we don’t have the time frame that everybody else has with a bye week and then matching it up like that,” he said. “But we have to give the coaches and athletes time to prepare between games. It can be done.”

Norcom coach Larry Archie said he isn’t worried about his team playing Tuesday against Wilson and then Friday against Western Branch.

“That’s all we can do because we don’t make that decision,” he said. “You can only control the stuff that you can control. We didn’t have any say about the matter. The (superintendents and city) are just trying to make sure that everybody is safe. So we’re going to try and go out and win two games in one week.”

Hickory was supposed to host Norview at 5 p.m. on Friday but coach Jupiter Wilson got a call about five hours before the game saying it was canceled.

Wilson, in his first season as a head coach, admitted the news was a downer.

“It’s definitely a letdown but we have to move on,” he said. “You just have to take it all in stride. But we know we’re still going to play 10 games this year.”

Group AAA games

Kellam at Kempsville, ppd.

Green Run at Princess Anne, ppd.

Ocean Lakes at Tallwood, ppd.

First Colonial at Bayside, ppd.

Salem vs. Cox at VB Sportsplex, ppd.

Norcom at Wilson, ppd.

King's Fork at Booker T. Washington, ppd.

Norview at Hickory, ppd.

Larry Rubama, (757) 446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com