Weather knocks out sports slate

Due to this evening's forecasted inclement weather, all prep sporting events involving Hernando County teams have been postponed.

This notice appears on the front page of the Hernando County School Board Web site:

"We have been informed that beginning at 5:00 p.m. we are to expect inclement weather. In order to ensure the safety of our students and staff, the superintendent recommends that all after school activities be canceled. The cancellation of all after school activities does not apply to the YMCA/Boys and Girls Clubs or Title 1 SES private programs operating in your buildings."

However, according to Hernando Athletic Director John Palmer, the district's coordinator of safety and security, Barry Crowley, called off all activities, including those outside the county as well as practices.

Citrus, Hernando and Pasco Counties are under a tornado watch until 10 p.m. A line of severe thunderstorms is expected to come ashore this evening.

Seven athletic contests were scheduled for tonight, three boys soccer matches, two girls soccer matches and two girls basketball games.

Only one of those has been officially rescheduled. The Hernando boys soccer team will instead host Wiregrass Ranch tomorrow at 7 p.m.

A new date for the Hernando girls soccer team's Class 4A, District 8 match at Wiregrass Ranch has not been determined.

Nature Coast Athletic Director Kristin Peeples said her school and Land O' Lakes are attempting to push two soccer matches, the boys at Nature Coast and the girls at Land O' Lakes, to tomorrow night.

In girls basketball, Nature Coast was supposed to travel to Wiregrass Ranch in a highly-anticipated meeting between two favorites in 4A-8.

However, because that was not technically a scheduled district game, Nature Coast Head Coach Travis Lamle was unsure of whether it would be made up.

For district purposes, the two teams who finished 1-2 in last season's 4A-8 Tournament play at Nature Coast on Jan. 12.

Central Head Coach Penny Gressick said her team's non-district home game versus Hudson should be rescheduled at some point.

However, Springstead boys soccer coach Sal Calabrese said he does not anticipate rescheduling a non-district match at Sunlake.