Hurricane Matthew causes several cancelations

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 11, 2016 10:00 AM

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For the second time in 17 years, residents of Wayne County have experienced catastrophic flooding due to a hurricane-strength storm.

And the effects from Hurricane Matthew are not going away any time soon.

Wayne County Public school officials announced Monday morning that practices for sports and games are canceled for the remainder of this week. The decision was made after Wayne County EMS declared a state of emergency once the roads south and west of Goldsboro began to flood.

EMS and WCPS has requested that all school staff members, coaches and players stay at home and off the roads.

"As a high school freshman, I remember the impact that it had on my teammates, classmates and the community," said Spring Creek head football coach Aaron Sanders, referring to Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Meterologists and historians described Floyd as the "100-year flood."

"The losses were great. It is very difficult to watch the community endure this again. Please continue to pray for our students and members of our community."

Hurricane Matthew dumped nearly 17 inches of rain in Wayne County during a 24-hour period Saturday. Residents who lived in low-lying areas were encouraged to evacuate and find the nearest shelter to hunker down until the storm ceased in the early-morning hours on Sunday.

Many streets in Goldsboro were deemed unsafe and blocked by traffic cones as flood waters steadily rose through the early-evening hours. EMS personnel handled water rescues and checked abandoned cars during the worst part of the storm.

Many residents lost their homes in the flood, particularly in the southern part of the county. The heavy rains washed away chunks of highway in different areas created several sinkholes. Power lines were knocked out by falling trees due to strong, gusty winds.

"There are a lot of people on the southern end of the county that I know have lost everything," Southern Wayne athletics director David Lee said. "(I know) even more people that do not have water and/or power. The river will be slow to recede and the focus needs to be on helping and providing for those that have to evacuate -- people who may be without power and/or water for several days, maybe even weeks."

The Little River overflowed its banks during the weekend and caused considerable flooding at Claridge State Farm Nursery. Many first responders used john boats to help rescue residents from their homes in that area.

The Neuse River was expected to crest at a record 28.9 feet -- 18 feet above flood stage -- at mid-morning today.

"Safety of our lives is more important than any (sporting) events," Charles B. Aycock athletics director Charles Davis said. "(Our) thoughts and prayers go out to the many people who have been affected by this storm."

Third-year Goldsboro High head football coach Bennett Johnson said that several of his players had to leave their homes and agreed that "safety is the most important agenda."

More than 40 games involving the six county high schools were slated to be played this week. The number does not reflect games scheduled at either Wayne Country Day, Wayne Christian or Faith Christian Academy. However, Wayne Christian athletics director Roger Longwell said his school follows the protocol set by the N.C. High School Athletic Association, the governing body of the state's public high schools.

Key events canceled:

* The Carolina 1-A and Eastern Carolina 3-A women's tennis tournaments scheduled for Monday and Wednesday, respectively. The one-day tournaments are used to determine regional qualifiers in singles and doubles play.

* The Carolina 1-A men's and women's cross country championship meet scheduled for today at Hobbton High School in Newton Grove.

* Four JV football games scheduled for Thursday -- Goldsboro at Kinston, D.H. Conley at Southern Wayne, Eastern Wayne at J.H. Rose and South Central at C.B. Aycock.

* Six varsity football games scheduled for Friday -- Kinston at Goldsboro, North Duplin at Rosewood, Spring Creek at Princeton, J.H. Rose at Eastern Wayne, Southern Wayne at D.H. Conley and C.B. Aycock at South Central.

All of the games, including soccer and volleyball, will rescheduled at a later date.

Wayne Christian is scheduled to play host to the semifinal and final-round matches in the 2016 Coastal Plains Independent 1-A Conference volleyball tournament on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

The Town of Goldsboro is scheduled to play host to the 2016 N.C. Tennis Association State Singles Championships, a three-day tournament that brings in teams from eight regions statewide. More than 400 residents are expected to play this season at different venues in Wayne County and surrounding communities.

Tournament officials have not made a final decision.

"Our concerns are with our students and athletes at this time, along with their families," fourth-year CBA head football coach Steve Brooks said. "This area has been hit so hard and it's like nothing they have ever seen before. Athletics is not important right now, but hopefully we can get together and play games (soon).

"It will be a way for all of us to come together and people can use it as a way to heal."