ROCKINGHAM — The high school basketball season didn’t even make it a week before Richmond Senior High School’s teams saw their schedules impacted.
All of Friday’s games against Pinecrest, both boys’ and girls’ at the varsity and junior varsity levels, have been postponed according to athletic director Rob Ransom.
Head coach Donald Pettigrew and the Raiders’ game was postponed on Tuesday night when Ransom confirmed at the season opener that the team wouldn’t play as a precaution to COVID-19 protocols, citing Pinecrest’s team.
In a text message Thursday, Ransom said the Lady Raiders’ game, which was still on at the time, was being postponed after Moore County Schools waived all after-school activities on Friday due to the threat of inclement weather.
No make-up dates have been announced for any of the games. The varsity teams were scheduled to play on the road at Pinecrest, while the junior varsity teams were supposed to host the Patriots.
Per the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s COVID-19 protocols, teams are not allowed to play more than two games per week during the season. Richmond’s 14-game regular-season schedule has the teams playing two games a week each week (Tuesdays and Fridays) from now until Feb. 19.
Playing high school athletics during a pandemic has proven difficult, as the Lady Raider volleyball program saw two of its matches eventually canceled because of there not being enough time to make up postponed games.
Three of the four basketball teams earned season-opening wins against Purnell Swett High School on Tuesday. The varsity boys coasted to a 66-45 win over the Rams, while Kenta Hutchinson’s JV team held on for a 62-40 victory.
Demi Watkins and the JV Lady Raiders defeated Purnell Swett 51-32, but head coach Teddy Moseley and the varsity girls came up short in a 62-35 decision against the Lady Rams.
All four teams are next scheduled to play on Tuesday, with the varsity squads making their home debut against Jack Britt High School. The Lady Raiders will tip at 5 p.m., followed by Pettigrew’s squad at 7 p.m.
The JV teams will travel to Jack Britt and begin play at the same times. The Richmond Observer will update any changes made to basketball schedules.
