Column: MHSA report: So far, so good (and keep it up)

Aside from the prospect of having Zoom speech and debate meets in December, fall sports for the Montana High School Association seem to be plugging along.

So it says in Wednesday’s release from MHSA executive director Mark Beckman, who noted among other things that speech and debate’s season start has been moved back two months to Dec. 1, in consideration of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While there are issues inside the state (Bigfork volleyball) and outside Montana (Notre Dame had no players test positive before they played Central Florida, and seven positives after), things have not gotten sidetracked here like they were in the spring.

Class AA football? Still a go, with six teams from each conference advancing to the playoffs (in Class A, four teams from each side will advance). The higher seed will host each week.

Soccer’s playoffs - four teams from each side in AA - will also see the higher seed play host..

Volleyball is a bit of a puzzle - classifications could ditch the normal double-elimination bracket for a single-elimination playoff format at state. But the all-class tournament that usually took place in Bozeman in November? It’s a no-go for this year.

“The MHSA is exploring options to host on-site (volleyball) tournaments and will finalize formats and locations after hearing from Classifications and possible host communities,” Beckman wrote.

District and divisional tournaments for volleyball could be double-gym affairs, with teams exiting as soon as the match is over -- this all assumes the host site has approval from its county health department. But so far, so good.

The state cross country meet that was set for Oct. 24 at Rebecca Farm outside Kalispell is now a two-day affair that begins with Classes A and C running on Oct. 23, and AA and B going the next day.

The one thing that everyone will pay attention to is the tickets. I don’t imagine there is an unlimited amount for parents and family, but in the case of postseason volleyball tournaments and the football and soccer playoffs, at least two tickets are to be available per participant.

For golf and cross country, the limit is two per athlete.

“There have been challenges,” Beckman writes. “However, overall fall sports have been progressing well and the staff is preparing (for) post season play.”

He then thanks the administrators, coaches, players and fans who have followed guidelines that helped keep the season going despite COVID-19.

I feel compelled to do the same. I’ve had my worries about how this all might play out, and hoped for the best -- not just because I get paid to watch games, which is a pretty good gig, but it’s a big bonus for the student-athletes.

We still would have cranked out the feature articles and sung the praises of some of the best athletes in the Valley, but not much beats Friday Night Lights. Here’s to nine more weeks of those, and a couple tournaments and meets thrown in.

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 and fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com.