PREP FOOTBALL -- Impending weather causes changes

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 1, 2015 1:48 PM

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By RUDY COGGINS

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Here we go again.

One week after a nor'easter wreaked havoc for area football teams, now athletic directors have to contend with Hurricane Joaquin. Forecasters said it was likely to grow into a major storm and could possibly make landfall on the east coast by this weekend.

Nearly 20 inches of rain is expected to further saturate areas in central and eastern North Carolina, which has prompted weather officials to issue flash flood warnings through late Saturday evening.

Five area ADs aren't taking any chances.

North Duplin and Rosewood moved their respective games to tonight. The Rebels (1-3 overall) play host to Lejeune, while the Eagles (3-2) welcome No. 1-ranked and unbeaten James Kenan to Branch Pope Field.

Each game kicks off at 7 p.m.

Charles B. Aycock athletics director emailed the News-Argus this morning and said Friday's home game with Southern Wayne has been moved to Monday. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Hardy Talton Stadium.

Eastern Wayne will play its second consecutive game on Monday when New Bern comes calling to New Hope. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

As of press time, no decision had been made on the Spring Creek-Hobbton contest scheduled for Friday.

"They said if (there is) a lot of rain Friday, (they) will push back to Monday," SC athletics director Heath Whitfield said in a text to the News-Argus late Wednesday evening.

Goldsboro has a bye week after making up a rained out game against Farmville Central on Monday. The Cougars (3-3 overall) launch their Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference schedule Oct. 9 at North Lenoir.

Joaquin was predicted to turn to the north and northwest toward the United States late today or Friday, but forecasters were still gathering data trying to determine how it might affect the U.S. The U.S. National Hurricane Center's long-term forecast showed the storm could near the U.S. East Coast along  North Carolina and Virginia on Sunday.

"Residents of the Carolinas north should be paying attention and monitoring the storm. There's no question," said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist with the center. "If your hurricane plans got a little dusty because of the light hurricane season, now is a good time to update them."

(Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this story).