Through teams cancelling varsity football seasons and natural disasters, completing a 10-game football schedule has been a minor miracle for the Orange football team.
After its final nonconference game against Riverside, set for September 14, was washed away because of Hurricane Florence there was some doubt within Orange circles whether the game would be rescheduled. Orange and Riverside have each Friday until the end of the season tied up.
On Monday morning, however, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association did Orange, and largely everyone else with state football playoff hopes, a favor by extending the regular season to November 9. The state playoffs are set to start on November 16. Immediately after the NCHSAA issued its statement, Orange announced that its game against Riverside would be played on November 9 at Auman Stadium.
The move means Orange will take the unusual step of concluding its season with two nonconference games. Orange is slated to host Eastern Guilford on October 26. The Wildcats replaced Cedar Ridge on Orange’s slate after CRHS opted not to field a varsity team this season.
There’s no word on whether Cedar Ridge would reschedule its junior varsity game against Granville Central that was also postponed two weeks ago.
The move by the NCHSAA came amidst more uncertainty from schools along the North Carolina coast and Sandhills. On Monday morning, Brunswick County Schools announced they wouldn’t resume classes until October 5. New Hanover and Pender County Schools haven’t held classes since September 11. Florence also destroyed the gym floor at Wilmington Christian Academy. The situation at Purnell Swett High School in Lumberton was so urgent last Tuesday, Principal Clyde Leviner sent out a tweet urging students to contact the football coaching staff because some of the players weren’t accounted for.
Orange faced a similar situation in 2016 during Hurricane Matthew. Coming off a stunning 49-7 blowout of archrival Southern Durham, the Panthers’ home game against Northwood was postponed to the following Monday because of rain. Orange defeated the Chargers 19-3…and then along came Matthew.
The hurricane forced Orange’s (final) trip to Northern Vance to be moved up to a Thursday night, leaving Orange to play two games in four days. Yet again, the Orange defense pitched a shutout, blanking the Vikings 14-0 in what turned out to be the final game ever between the two teams. It was one of five shutouts posted by the Orange defense, which included future N.C. State linebacker Payton Wilson, future Vanderbilt defensive end Stone Edwards and Ryan Sellers, now a walk-on at East Carolina. That Orange defense, arguably the best in school history, set the tone for the Panthers’ first undefeated regular season since 1978 and its second consecutive Big 8 Conference Championship.
Many schools across Cumberland County are scrambling to finish all ten (or eleven, as the case may be) games by the November 9 deadline. Several schools will play two games in five days this week. On Tuesday night, Grey’s Creek, Pine Forest, E.E. Smith and Douglas Byrd all played, and they all have contests scheduled again this Friday. Cape Fear and Overhills will play Wednesday night, then again on Monday.