Sports report August 20, 2020

Edd Merritt

CVU Golfers go national
CVU men golfers traveled to Pinehurst, North Carolina, the first week of this month for the National High School Invitational Tournament. Led by Alex Leonard, the Redhawk swingers placed 23rd out of 27 teams overall. Alex shot three rounds of 80, 75 and 73. Three other members of last season’s Division I champions joined his effort—Cam Saia (88, 94, 82), Evan Forrest (79, 83, 82) and Kyle Rexford (96, 85, 85). Utah edged out Florida by a single stroke (903–904) for the team championship.

How will fall sports look this year?
Football, from its inception at youth levels, has always consisted of plenty of body contact—blocking and tackling—as well as high-speed offense by running backs accompanied by quarterbacks who could throw the ball. Teams put 11 players on the field to accomplish their goals.

Plays like this one no longer go over in the game. Photo by Edd Merritt
Plays like this one no longer go over in the game. Photo by Edd Merritt.

Well, those days are likely over, due to some degree by dangers from the corona virus pandemic. According to the Vermont Principals Association (the VPA), teams of seven on the field playing touch football are a good possibility this fall.

Face masks will be in abundance, with coaches and spectators required to wear them. Other highly active athletes—soccer players and field hockey opponents—have been directed to try to maintain safe physical distances in the course of a game and to wear masks whenever possible. Cross-country running, bass fishing and golf seem to be sports in which the athletes can compete unmasked since player contact and distancing are not issues.

Starting dates for fall sport practices have been moved back to coincide with school calendars. Schools are now expected to begin fall terms Sept. 8 with teams allowed to start practicing then and competition to begin the week of Sept. 21.