Hurricane Idalia: Northeast Florida high school sports postponements, cancellations

Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Updated ·4 min read

Hurricane Idalia entered the school week hundreds of miles from Jacksonville, but the tropical system has quickly shaken up Northeast Florida's sports schedule.

School districts including Duval, Clay, Columbia, Nassau and Putnam closed schools for periods ranging from one to three days, cutting dozens of volleyball matches, swim meets and golf competitions from the high school sports calendar.

However, as of Tuesday afternoon, about half of the high school football games scheduled for Friday, Sept. 1 in Northeast Florida remain on the schedule pending the course of the storm. The first cancellation, announced Monday night, was Thursday's 8-man football game between Florida School for the Deaf & Blind and Old Plank Christian.

Several others followed later Monday evening or Tuesday, including Baker County-Oakleaf, Bishop Kenny-Middleburg and St. Augustine's trip to St. Petersburg Gibbs. However, the Bolles-Mandarin and White-Sandalwood games, initially postponed, were restored Tuesday to their originally-scheduled 6:30 p.m. Friday kickoff times.

Ponte Vedra's Ava Grall (1) spikes the ball as Bishop Kenny's Cami Labyak (6) defends during a high school volleyball match.
Ponte Vedra's Ava Grall (1) spikes the ball as Bishop Kenny's Cami Labyak (6) defends during a high school volleyball match.

Duval County Public Schools announced closures from Tuesday through Thursday, canceling extracurricular events such as games and practices during that span. Notable volleyball matches affected include Creekside at Mandarin on Tuesday.

Several Jacksonville-area high school football teams are scheduled to play out-of-town games Friday night against opponents on or near the Gulf Coast. Those games include Ponte Vedra at Florida High, among others, and their status remains to be determined.

Jacksonville University and Flagler College have canceled classes Wednesday, while the University of North Florida announced closures for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Activities at those colleges are also affected, including the cancellation of Friday's UNF XC Invitational in cross country.

Also still scheduled for this weekend in St. Johns County is the Junior Players Championship golf tournament.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Ed White quarterback Jaylen Pettway scrambles away from traffic. The Commanders' scheduled game against Sandalwood was originally postponed to Oct. 10 due to Hurricane Idalia, before being reinstated later Tuesday.
Ed White quarterback Jaylen Pettway scrambles away from traffic. The Commanders' scheduled game against Sandalwood was originally postponed to Oct. 10 due to Hurricane Idalia, before being reinstated later Tuesday.

Thursday, Aug. 31

FLORIDA

Gainesville Oak Hall (1-0) at Bishop Snyder (1-0), ppd. to 7 p.m. Friday

GEORGIA

Winter Park (1-0) at Brunswick (1-0), ccd.

Friday, Sept. 1

FLORIDA

Baker County (0-1) at Oakleaf (1-0), ccd.

Beachside (0-1) at Fernandina Beach (1-0)

Bishop Kenny (1-0) at Middleburg (0-1), ppd. to Oct. 20

Bolles (0-1) at Mandarin (1-0), 6:30 p.m.

Bradford (1-0) at Baldwin (1-0), ppd. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday

Branford (1-0) at Duval Charter (0-1), ppd.

Charlton County (0-2) at West Nassau (0-1), 7:30 p.m.

Christ's Church (1-0) at Impact Christian (1-0), ppd. to Oct. 6

Creekside (0-1) at Nease (1-0)

Daytona Beach Seabreeze (0-1) at Bartram Trail (1-0)

Eagle's View (1-0) at Harvest Community (0-1)

Englewood (1-0) at Menendez (1-0)

Father Lopez (0-1) at Cedar Creek Christian (0-1)

Fleming Island (1-0) at North Florida Educational (1-0)

Fletcher (0-1) at Tallahassee Chiles (0-1)

Fort White (1-0) at Jefferson County (0-1)

Gainesville Eastside (1-0) at Keystone Heights (0-0), 7:30 p.m.

Hamilton County (1-0) at Suwannee (1-0), ccd.

Hilliard (0-0) at Tampa Cambridge Christian (1-0)

Interlachen (0-1) at Providence (0-1)

Joshua Christian (0-0) at Rocky Bayou Christian (1-0)

Matanzas (1-0) at Tocoi Creek (1-0)

Ocala Forest (1-0) at First Coast (0-1), ccd.

Orange Park (0-1) at Episcopal (1-0)

Palatka (1-0) at Port Orange Atlantic (0-1)

Ponte Vedra (0-1) at Florida High (0-0)

Ribault (1-0) at Atlantic Coast (1-0), ppd. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Ridgeview (0-1) at Clay (0-1)

Riverside (1-0) at Parker (0-1), 6:30 p.m.

Sandalwood (0-1) at White (0-1), 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine (1-0) at St. Petersburg Gibbs (0-1), ccd.

St. Joseph (0-1) at Windermere (1-0)

Stanton (0-1) at North Florida Educational (1-0), ppd. to Oct. 20

TDH Academy (0-1) at Zarephath Academy (0-1)

Titusville (1-0) at Yulee (1-0)

Trinity Christian (1-0) at Plantation American Heritage (0-0), 7:30 p.m.

Union County (1-0) at Columbia (0-1), ppd.

University Christian (0-1) at Tallahassee North Florida Christian (0-1)

Westside (0-1) at Jackson (0-1), 6:30 p.m.

Wolfson (0-1) at Paxon (0-1), 6:30 p.m.

Young Kids in Motion (0-0) at American Collegiate (1-0)

GEORGIA

Camden County (1-1) at Glynn Academy (2-0), 7:25 p.m.

Milledgeville Baldwin (2-0) at Ware County (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

BYE: Raines (1-0)

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Idalia: Jacksonville sports events postponed, canceled for hurricane