There are some things more important than sports.

Last night the men’s basketball game was cancelled in response to the news that Daniel Arrowood, an Enka student, had been killed in a car wreck in Buncombe County..

“I am so proud of the response that our students had to the tragedy yesterday,” Principal Dean Jones said in a morning announcement.

The women’s basketball game was underway when students began receiving  news of the tragedy through social media. The Lady Falcons were down to the Sugar Jets at the time. Even though the Lady Falcons came back to win the game, 55-49, the atmosphere was reportedly somber and quiet.

“When we first got there everything was normal,” senior Lauren Heywood, who was at the game, said. “But three minutes to the end of the women’s game everything was so quiet. People didn’t even clap when we (West) won.”

Other students noted the silence.

“I’ve never seen the school that quiet in my life. All I heard was the air conditioner,” senior Olivia Hogan, who was also in attendance, said.  “There were people sobbing all around.”

State troopers said Arrowood was killed after the truck he was riding in rolled over. They attributed the accident to excessive speed. They also said Arrowood (who was a passenger in the vehicle) was wearing his seatbelt.

“Anytime there’s loss of life, it’s awful,” Coach Billy Phillips said to the Times News. “To see the pain in those kids’ eyes was devastating to me. We’re going to do what’s best for their community.”

By Ari Sen