Bucks County high school sports take cover from solar eclipse
Monday's mid-afternoon solar eclipse has produced plenty of schedule changes for Bucks County and Eastern Montgomery County high school varsity sports teams.
While Bucks County and most of Pennsylvania are in the path of the eclipse, only Erie in northwestern part of the state is in the path of totality for the 3 minutes and 42 seconds event. The partial eclipse starts about 2 p.m. and ends at about 4:30 p.m., and peak viewing is set for Bucks County around 3:24 p.m., putting it right within the afterschool sports schedule.
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William Tennent, Pennridge, Quakertown and Harry S. Truman aren't having any practices or games Monday, according to the schools' athletic directors.
Central Bucks home events for CB East, South and West, as well as North Penn and Abington's home contests, are starting at 5:15 p.m. or later, well after the eclipse is visible in the Delaware Valley.
Neshaminy games can begin no earlier than 5:30 p.m., according to AD Lisa Pennington.
Council Rock School District (CR North and South) isn't starting any games until 5:30 p.m., is moving some to other days and won't be holding any practices from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., according to athletic director Joe Spera.
Bensalem isn't playing any games Monday and is allowing practices from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., with none between 2-5 p.m., according to AD Geoff Per.
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Conwell-Egan athletic director Pat Donlen received a letter from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on Thursday saying games and practices cannot begin until 4:30 Monday. This also applies to Catholic League schools Archbishop Wood, La Salle and Lansdale Catholic.
Hatboro-Horsham athletic director Chas Cathers said practices can start no earlier than 4:30 p.m., with games at 5 or later.
"If it isn’t the rain, snow, or ice (affecting sports schedules), it’s a celestial event!" Cathers said.
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Upper Moreland has scheduled one varsity game at noon and the rest at 4:45 or later.
North Penn is issuing eclipse sunglasses to students practicing "so they may experience the eclipse safely while outdoors," said Knights interim AD Kyle Berger. "Coaches who are holding practices during that time are encouraged to pause during the peak of the eclipse and then resume once it is light enough outside to safely resume practice."
All New Hope-Solebury practices will start at 5 p.m. and a scheduled tennis match was moved to another day, according to athletic director P.J. Scarpello.
Palisades is holding indoor practices until 4:30 p.m. and has no games scheduled, according to AD Brian Gilbert.
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Germantown Academy doesn't have any games and is permitting individual sports to practice outdoors beginning at 4:30, said AD Tim Ginter.
Most of the Courier Times/Intelligencer schools have early dismissal Monday.
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly is a sports columnist for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Solar eclipse affecting Bucks County high school sports schedules
