Mass. High School Sports Postponed By Pandemic Begin Shortened Season
NEWTON (CBS/AP) - High school sports postponed by the pandemic officially opened Monday in Massachusetts. The fall sports season — dubbed "Fall II" — is slated to run from Feb. 22 to April 25.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association says there's no officially sanctioned postseason play and school districts are able to opt out altogether.
Among the sports beginning this week are football, cheerleading, indoor track and unified basketball.
At Newton South High School, the football team began the new season on a snow-covered field. The team needs to complete 17 practices before they start playing games.
"We're very excited to be out here. It's been like 400 days since last season," said Newton South senior Anthony Maregni. "It's about time. It's time to ball."
Newton South plans to begin a five or six game season on March 12 against Westford Academy.
Athletes are required to wear masks.
School districts also had the option of moving other fall sports, such as cross-country, dance, golf, field hockey, soccer, swim and dive and volleyball.
The coronavirus pandemic scrambled the second half of the 2019-20 high school sports season and the start of the 2020-21 season.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)