Colorado’s fall high school football season trudges on amid new COVID- 19 restrictions

“We’re kind of getting hit by multiple angles and just trying to figure out this whole complex puzzle. We’ve got to continue as if nothing is going to get shut down because if we don’t then we’re going to show up for a game and we’re not going to be ready.” Patrick Woytek, Thornton athletic director

Though COVID- 19 case numbers are rising throughout Colorado and multiple counties have adopted stricter public health measures, the fall high school football season appears to be on track to finish — for now.

Adams County moved to the second- highest level of COVID19 restrictions at 5 p. m. Wednesday, less than a week after it prohibited fans from attending high school football games through Oct. 31.

When Gov. Jared Polis granted a variance to the Colorado High School Activities Association in mid- September allowing up to 50 players ( excluding coaches/ officials/ staff) per team on a field at one time — essentially permitting high school football teams to practice and play — officials said the move would be re- evaluated if counties rose to Level 3.

Mellissa Sager, Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Manager with Tri- County Health, said a re- evaluation of the variance took place over a period of days before the state ultimately decided to extend the variance. A spokeswoman with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment could not confirm that took place, but did say that the change in restriction levels would not impact the ability for high school football teams to finish their season.

Last week, state health authorities limited gatherings to 10 people or less from two households in most counties amid rising virus cases.

On Tuesday, the City of Denver announced it was also moving to Level 3, while Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas and Jefferson counties have had cases rise high enough that they could see more limitations as well in the coming weeks.

Sager indicated a re- evaluation process would take place if Arapahoe or Douglas counties, which are also under Tri- County Health’s jurisdiction, were to rise to Level 3.

“We consider everything and it is a very collaborative process,” Sager said.

“We’re very connected with our schools and our county officials and local officials, so just like every move across our counties and the state, we’re all having conversations to ensure that we’re making the decisions that are the right fit for the specific communities.”

For schools like Thornton High School in Adams County, which recently went back to remote learning and saw parents pull their kids out of football as a result, the rise in coronavirus cases is just the latest twist in an already trying fall. Thornton is scheduled to play Liberty at 1 p. m. Saturday at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs, but athletic director Patrick Woytek said he had yet to receive an official update regarding the status of the game by the time Adams County rose to Level 3 at 5 p. m. Wednesday.

“We’re kind of getting hit by multiple angles and just trying to figure out this whole complex puzzle,” he said.

“We’ve got to continue as if nothing is going to get shut down because if we don’t then we’re going to show up for a game and we’re not going to be ready.”

CHSAA originally decided to move football season — along with volleyball, boys soccer, field hockey and gymnastics — to the spring due to virus concerns in early August.

A little over a month later, the association gave schools the option of playing a fall season after Polis approved the association’s variance request.

Nearly 80% of member schools ( 218) opted into the fall, which began with games Oct. 8 and is entering the fourth week of a six- week regular season. Denver Public Schools was among the districts that opted to play in the spring.

A handful of teams have already been forced to cancel games following outbreaks, but a large majority of the scheduled contests have been played so far.

CHSAA assistant commissioner Adam Bright said decisions over whether or not teams can continue playing are entirely up to state and local health authorities.

“That’s kind of outside the CHSAA purview,” Bright said.

“We’re not making blanket statements that say a certain level equals a certain restriction. That’s going to be county by county, health department by health department.”