Jaguars seek a waiver that would let them play at home Tuesday

Faced with the prospect of moving another Lower State semifinal game up the highway, Ridgeland-Hardeeville has asked the South Carolina High School League for a waiver that will let the Jaguars stay at home despite falling just short of the league’s minimum seating standard.

Michael Jordan, Jasper County athletics director, said Saturday he was preparing an email to SCHSL commissioner Jerome Singleton asking the league to allow Tuesday night’s game against Brookland-Cayce to be played on campus despite falling 80 seats short of the 1,500 requirement.

If not, the game would be played at either Estill High or Battery Creek.

“It just seems we can’t get people to forgive that 80-seat difference to play in our building,” said Jordan, who hopes for an early answer Monday.

The minimum does not apply to girls’ basketball, leaving Monday night’s RHHS game against Manning unaffected. That game is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

The Ridgeland-Hardeeville boys are in the Lower State semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, including a run to the Class 2A title game two years ago. The Jaguars (18-6) beat Loris 85-62 for their 10th victory in their past 11 outings.

RHHS also owns a 29-game winning streak on campus, dating back to the 2014-15 season, but could have used home court at this stage last year. With the game relocated to Estill High, the Jaguars saw their playoff run end against Timberland.

Brookland-Cayce (17-8) reached the Lower State semis by beating Timberland for its 14th consecutive victory. Jordan said he approached Brookland-Cayce officials about waiving the seating minimum, but they wouldn’t agree.

Jordan said he’s explored ways of adding 80 seats for to meet the playoff minimum, but “then it becomes a safety issue.”

He acknowledged, though, that losing the home game has financial implications because RHHS has to pay the host school and loses any concession income. “We’re being penalized for something out of our control,” he said.

Estill High, about 30 miles from the Ridgeland-Hardeeville campus, is the Jaguars’ first option because that’s the preference of coach Jeremiah Faber.

“If we can’t play at home,” Jordan said, “its my duty to do everything I can to make them feel as though they have homecourt advantage. ... They’ve been an outstanding neighbor to us, and that is where coach Faber feels he has more of a homecourt advantage for his team.”

With Estill’s girls still in the Class 1A playoffs, Jordan said the school may not be in position to take on the home game. That would put Battery Creek in play.

This story was originally published February 18, 2017 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Jaguars seek a waiver that would let them play at home Tuesday."