Rough weather causing schedule scrambling

While students and teachers have been able to relax with an extra week of winter break, which will reach 23 full days between classes on Sunday, the local athletic directors and coaches have been scrambling to find gaps to squeeze in make-up games.

The local policy is no school, no games, South Putnam athletic director Ken Schnepp said in an email earlier this week.

This is only applicable on days when school was originally scheduled, but with a week's worth of classes getting wiped out, so did a week of games. The recent polar vortex took more than 15 varsity events off the schedule this week.

That, combined with cancellations around the new year, means several teams will now go nearly a month between games.

The North Putnam girls' basketball team last played on Dec. 20 at Cascade, but it's now had four consecutive events become unplayable -- a tournament double-header at Speedway and games against Fountain Central and Eminence.

By the time the Cougars take the court again Friday against Monrovia it will be nearly a full month -- 28 days -- since their last game.

Basketball schedules tend to be back-loaded as it is, making it even tougher to squeeze in make-ups before sectionals. The girls' draw comes out Feb. 2, only a few weeks away, and it could be difficult for every team to work in the maximum 20 games allowed prior to the start of postseason play.

Finding an open date in the basketball schedule is one problem, but combining it with other sports compounds it.

The West Central Conference swim meet was scheduled for Saturday at DePauw but it's now been postponed.

The original date announced for the make-up, Friday, Jan. 17, is the same night that each of the participating schools also has conference basketball double-header. It's now been re-announced as to be determined.

Trying to hold a swim meet at the same time as basketball is tough not just for fans, but athletes, with some participating both on the swim team and as basketball cheerleaders.

Make-up dates are limited for swimming because the WCC meet is hosted at DePauw, which has a full schedule itself.

The junior varsity girls' basketball tournament has now been pushed back twice.

Originally set for Saturday, Dec. 14, the single-day tournament was delayed by weather and pushed to Saturday, Jan. 11. That's again been delayed.

It's now a two-day event, with the opening round now set for Thursday, Jan. 30 and the championship game scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3.

A few other reschedulings have been announced. The NPHS boys' basketball team will now host Western Boone on Feb. 1 and play at North Vermillion Feb. 18.

The Greencastle boys' basketball team had its game at Rockville bumped to Thursday, Feb. 13, which falls during the week of girls' sectionals.

For South Putnam, the girls' basketball team will now play at Eminence on Monday, Jan. 13. The boys' team will still play Edgewood on Saturday, but it will now be at 3:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 as was originally scheduled.

The double-header against South Vermillion, set for Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Jan. 2, has not yet been rescheduled.

Trying to work those games in, and many others, will be a challenge.