March 25, 2020 update: Gov. Henry McMaster's order to close schools until April 30 has suspended spring sports until at least that date. Read more in the tweet below and scrunners is continuing to cover this news and the stories of the athletes, coaches and sport in general throughout this period.
Monday night update - Track and field suspended, other spring sports until April 5
On the heels of South Carolina governor Henry McMaster's two-week halt of all public schools due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the South Carolina High School League Executive Committee voted 17-0 on Monday to suspend spring sports until April 5.
Following the committee's conference call, the SCHSL issued a release stating that the "suspension includes all contests, practices, workouts (conditioning and strength training) and/or open season skill development.
Nine more positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Sunday bringing the total to 28. On Monday, news broke of the state's first reported death in Lexington as a result of the virus.
SCHSL commissioner Jerome Singleton said in the release that now is the time to protect the well-being of student-athletes.
"In order to keep our student-athletes and the education community as safe as possible, stringent measures are now in place by order of the Governor's Office. We ask that all schools follow this Executive Order until further notice. We will reconvene via teleconference on April 2, 2020, to review the Spring sports schedule."
Singleton later said that the league was not ready to cancel the spring sports season.
"Let's see what happens," he said. "Our schools are going to follow whatever the governor says... It was all about suspending and delaying and seeing what happens."
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While the spring sports season is on hold, the Bojangles Track Classic was cancelled on Monday. The meet was scheduled to be held on April 10-11 at Spring Valley High School.
Watch 2019 Bojangles Track Classic races
Spring Valley boys track and field coach Matt Oberly is the director for the Bojangles Track Classic. He said that the meet has in a position where the only choice to be made was to cancel.
"If we were able to come back April 6, it looked like (the meet) would fall in a practice period," Oberly said. "Bojangles is such a s large meet for in-state athletes and a lot of out-of-state athletes from North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. We didn't know what their seasons would look like and if they would be able to travel or what the situations would be."
Although disappointed that the meet had to be cancelled, Oberly said the league's decision to postpone rather than cancel the season is good news in a rather uncertain time.
"If we are able to come back for some type of season, our goals are to win a region championship and possibly a state championship," he said.