How weather might affect NC high school playoffs during biggest week of spring season
Weather is threatening to make a mess of what is arguably the biggest week of North Carolina’s spring sports season.
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the state Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, casting uncertainty over a week that includes:
▪ The third and fourth rounds of the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s baseball and softball playoffs, officially set for Tuesday and Friday.
▪ The first two rounds of the NCHSAA’s girls’ soccer playoffs, set for Monday and Thursday.
▪ The two-day NCHSAA boys’ state golf tournaments Monday and Tuesday.
▪ The NCHSAA’s boys’ and girls’ state track and field championships Friday and Saturday.
▪ The NCHSAA’s boys’ and girls’ lacrosse semifinals and championships, set for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
▪ The NCHSAA’s boys’ team tennis semifinals and championships, taking place several days this week.
▪ The N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s semifinals (Tuesday) and championships (Friday and Saturday) in baseball, softball, girls’ soccer, boys’ lacrosse, girls’ lacrosse, boys’ golf, track and field, and boys’ tennis.
Meteorologists say the forecast can — and probably will — change. But as of now, Monday and Thursday appear to be the only days without rain in the forecast.
“Rain and thunder are likely on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a brief stint of drying on Thursday,” said meteorologist Mike Rehnberg, of the National Weather Service. “Active weather will return for the weekend.“
Some athletic directors are trying to get a jump on the potential bad weather and have moved baseball and softball games from Tuesday to Monday.
For example, the third-round NCHSAA 4A baseball game between Charlotte Catholic and Cox Mill was moved from Tuesday to Monday evening at Cox Mill.
Among others schools playing Monday are Charlotte Christian, Hickory Grove Christian, Metrolina Christian and Gaston Christian in baseball, and Providence Day and Gaston Christian in softball.
The highest likelihood of rain — 90 percent — is Tuesday. But precipitation chances are 50 percent or higher Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
In some cases, like girls’ soccer and lacrosse, rain isn’t enough to cause a postponement. But lightning is another story, and meteorologists mention “thunderstorms” in the forecast Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
High school athletic officials typically will go the extra mile to get playoff events, especially championships, played.
In May 2021, Charlotte Latin and Providence Day met for the NCISAA 4A girls’ soccer championship. The match started at 1 p.m. but was halted by a series of thunderstorms. It finally resumed around 7:30 p.m., but it was 9 p.m. before Providence Day finally won the match in a penalty-kick shootout.
