Clayton News Daily

By Derrick Mahone

dmahone@news-daily.com

Mundy's Mill boys basketball team was on a roll, winning eight of its last nine games.

Then Sunday, a powerful snow and ice storm hit the metro Atlanta area which caused school systems in Clayton and Henry counties to force closures this week.

With schools closed, Tuesday games have been postponed and this weekend games are in jeopardy of not being played if the ice continues to cause hazardous travel conditions.

"We can't really do anything," Mundy's Mill coach Tu Willingham said. "We were on a little roll, but hopefully we won't cool off. Everybody is in the same situation so no one has an advantage over the other."

Coaching in Region 4-AAAA only have to rely on two school system rulings since Clayton and Fulton counties schools make up the region teams. Other regions involving multiple school systems that could effect the make-up games.

Willingham said that the county athletic directors from Fulton and Clayton will have a conference call to discuss how to proceed with make-up games.

Officials are unclear when postponed games will be rescheduled, but the Georgia High School Association website posted a message that all region games need to be rescheduled. The GHSA bylaws state that "only one day and/or night game per school week may be used for a contest or an activity with a starting time of 6 p.m. or later."

Bylaws also state that the GHSA executive director has the authority to set that rule aside in "extenuating circumstances"' which seems to be the case with many school districts closing this week because of the snow and ice storms.

"I don't think rescheduling will be too big of a problem for us," Willingham said. "Our region schedule was set up with some pretty common open dates. Our ADs will get together to figure out the best route to take."

The GHSA website also stated that competing schools should look for an open Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday dates to reschedule.

Ola coach and athletic director Curt Miller said they are in a "wait-and-see" pattern as school system personnel decide on re-opening schools.

"Everybody is in the same boat," Miller said. "We want to play, but we have to make sure that everyone can get to school safely first. You just don't want to rush back into this."