Playoff schedule remains unclear due to air quality
Poor air quality from the Camp Fire in Butte County continues to wreak havoc on the Bay Area football playoff schedule.
On Sunday, the North Coast Section postponed indefinitely four early Monday games and warned that if air-quality index readings don’t improve soon, its quarterfinal playoffs could move to the weekend.
NCS Commissioner Gil Lemmon said that four 1 p.m. games — St. Bernard’s-Eureka at San Marin-Novato (Division 4), St. Helena at SalesianRichmond (Division 5), Stellar Prep-Oakland at Berean Christian-Walnut Creek (Division 5) and Tomales at Branson-Ross (eight person) — were postponed.
“We will not reschedule” those games until sometime Monday, Lemmon wrote in a text.
Lemmon also said his staff will meet Monday morning to discuss 15 other other NCS games scheduled for 7 o’clock that night.
On Friday, 39 of 48 Bay Area football games combined, from the North Coast, Central Coast, San Francisco and Oakland sections, were postponed because of the air quality. On Saturday, when the air quality actually worsened in most regions, 11 of 12 NCS and CCS playoff games scheduled were postponed to Monday.
That leaves 34 section playoff games scheduled for Monday.
“Our concerns right now are AQI readings that may be worse (Monday) as the day goes on,” Lemmon said. “Ultimately, NCS may need to push quarterfinals to next weekend.”
“Ultimately, NCS may need to push quarterfinals to next weekend.” Gil Lemmon, NCS commissioner
If that occurs, adjustment or pushback will be needed with the California Interscholastic Federation regional finals, which are scheduled Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Regional winners are scheduled to play for 13 state championships, Dec. 7-8.
“We can’t focus on the CIF regionals at this point,” Lemmon said. “Any of those discussions will come later.”
The CIF sent a statement Friday stating that the “health and safety of our student-athletes is our No. 1 priority. Please note that all CIF playoff contests could be postponed, delayed, moved, etc. and we’ll update everyone as necessary.”
Southern California is dealing with its own devastation and air-quality issues with the Woolsey Fire in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
“Adhering to strict timelines for athletic contests will not come at the expense of communities in a state of emergency or the heath and safety of our student-athletes,” CIF associate director Ron Nocetti said. “First and foremost, our concern is for those communities affected, and we will continue to work in cooperation with our sections to help them best serve our schools.”