Goldsboro, N. Lenoir cancel fourth-quarter makeup

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 8, 2005 1:55 PM

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The final quarter between the North Lenoir and Goldsboro High men's basketball teams has been cancelled, Goldsboro principal Patricia Burden announced Monday morning.

The teams were scheduled to conclude the suspended contest at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Burden telephoned North Lenoir principal Dexter Simms and learned that the Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference had scheduled a mandatory meeting Wednesday evening. Athletic officials from each of the six EPC schools are required to attend the meeting, which will include issues involving basketball -- particularly all-conference selections and tournament play.

"The two schools agreed that since this was a non-conference game, neither school would be impaired by this decision," Burden said. "Not finishing the game will not count against either team's record by mutual agreement."

Slippery playing conditions, due mainly to condensation caused by humid temperatures, forced the teams to suspend their game on Dec. 6. North Lenoir led 48-42 after three quarters when the referees, school officials and coaches agreed to stop the game.

Inclement weather caused two more postponements before the schools finally agreed to play this week. However, conference play and conference meetings take precedent, which prompted Burden and Simms to call off the final eight minutes of the game.

"I think both schools wanted to see the game completed," Burden said. "Time ran out on us."

Goldsboro High concludes its regular-season schedule at home tonight against Southern Wayne. The Cougars (11-11, 7-8 ECC) need a victory to keep them in the playoff chase. The Saints have a similar agenda, but realize a victory helps keep them in line for home-court advantage in the conference tournament and a No. 1 seed in the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs.

North Lenoir visits SouthWest Edgecombe tonight and finishes its EPC schedule at home Friday against Tarboro High. The Hawks (16-5, 4-4) are tied with North Pitt for third in the league, and are in danger of not making the playoffs.