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U.S. MEN’S SOCCER TEAM OPTS OUT OF OCTOBER
Citing the challenges of COVID-19, the U.S. men’s national soccer team is not playing FIFA matches in October. The U.S. men last played Feb. 1, downing Costa Rica 1-0. Postponed have been friendlies against Netherlands and Wales, the CONCACAF Nations League Final Four and the start of 2022 World Cup qualifying in September.
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Fauquier Times | September 23, 2020
LET THE PLANNING FOR THE GAMES BEGIN VHSL gives go-ahead for high school sports to resume in December By Peter Brewington and Fred Hodge Times Staff Writers
Coaches and athletic directors in Virginia formally heard the news they expected last Thursday when the Executive Committee of the Virginia High School League (VHSL) finalized the abbreviated athletic calendar for the 2020-21 school year. The 33-0 vote capped months of intensive state-wide discussion. Each sport will be limited to 60% of its normal schedule, opening with winter sports in December. The VHSL is calling its approved model “Championship Plus One,” which refers to state championships being held, with schools who don’t qualify for postseason getting to play an extra game. “We understand this plan, or any plan, will not meet the expectations for those wanting a normal fall, winter and spring sports season. This plan, however, will allow student-athletes and academic activity participants the opportunity of having a season and playing for a state championship,” said VHSL executive director Billy Haun. The news was greeted with relief by school officials eager to finalize planning they’d already been working on. “It’s nice to be able to schedule and know what to look forward to instead of ifs, ands and buts,” said Kettle Run activities director Paul Frye. Basketball and sideline cheerleading may begin practice Dec. 7, with first games Dec. 21. Wrestling, indoor track and swimming start Dec. 14 and begin competing Dec. 28. Football and competition cheerleading can start practice Feb. 4, with first football games Feb. 22 and cheer meets March 1. The other relocated sports of field hockey, volleyball, cross country and golf can practice
Feb. 15 and compete March 1. The spring sports of softball, baseball, lacrosse, outdoor track, soccer and tennis may begin April 12 with openers April 26 except tennis, which can begin April 21. Unity Reed (Manassas) activities director Kevin Turner said he and fellow ADs in the Class 6 Cedar Run District have made tentative scheduling plans and will meet again Wednesday to make more refinements, with a 16-team regional meeting set for Thursday. With six teams in the Cedar Run (Unity Reed, Battlefield, Patriot, Osbourn, Osbourn Park, John Champe), Turner said each football team will play five district games and one outside opponent. “Football seems easier now that we don’t have to schedule out-ofdistrict opponents,” said Turner. The Northwestern District met last week in anticipation of the VHSL vote, so the district schedules for each sport are done. The district is split into a southern pod of Kettle Run, Liberty, Fauquier and Culpeper and a northern one of Handley, James Wood, Millbrook and Sherando. Each school will play the others in its pod on a home-and-home basis. The local schools will play each northern school once, hosting two teams and traveling to Winchester twice for 10 district games. Turner said he’s cautioned his Unity Reed coaches that things could still get hindered by pandemic restrictions, bad weather and other considerations. “I’ve tried to explain to coaches not to get too excited about getting all their games in,” said Turner. Unity Reed football coach Carroll Walker says the pandemic is still his No. 1 concern. “Right now, until school opens, we need to follow those guidelines to be sensible, and
Not one, but two Bird Bowls Revamped football schedule sees Fauquier vs. Liberty twice, with KRHS meeting Eagles twice By Peter Brewington Times Staff Writer
The revamped six-game high school football schedule is set for this coming winter and it’s a double dose of Fauquier vs. Liberty vs. Kettle Run action. Instead of one individual game against each other, Fauquier and Liberty will play twice, with Kettle Run also playing Liberty twice. Fauquier will meet Kettle Run just once. Liberty will play Culpeper once. With teams limited to six games,
the eight-team Northwestern District broke into two pods to limit travel and maximize games against local foes. Fauquier, Liberty, Kettle Run and Culpeper comprise the southern division, while James Wood, Handley, Millbrook and Sherando are in the north. The sixth game will pit the No. 1 team in the south against the north’s top squad for the district title. There also will be games matching the second, third and fourth place teams. The two finalists advance to regional play. There is also the opportunity to play a seventh game if a team does
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High school sports are set to return in December. The state’s public high school sports have been on hold since March 13 when Governor Ralph Northam shuttered all schools in response to the threats presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. not jump the gun,” said Walker. Playing four of the six football games in winter, which runs until late March, is a potential problem. “February is the worst. We’re talking about freezing weather. If it snows two days in a week, how are we gonna play?” said Walker.
Could COVID return?
While scheduling can begin in earnest, there still are potential storm clouds on the horizon. The VHSL’s Haun repeatedly has said the VHSL will not be able to conduct sports in the high risk category (as classified by the NCAA) while Virginia is under Phase 3 guidelines issued by the governor. Haun said he met with members of the Governor’s staff two weeks ago and were told not to expect exiting Phase 3 “anytime soon.” Basketball, wrestling, football, competition cheerleading, field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse and soccer are in the high risk category. With approximately 82% of the state’s public school students undergoing full virtual learning, a return to sports is still a challenge. not make the postseason. “Any football is good football. We are counting down the days. We can’t wait to put pads on. We’ll be ready to go,” said Liberty coach Travis Buzzo. It will be winter football with games running from Feb. 22 to April 2, with practice opening Feb. 4. The last time Fauquier and Liberty met twice in the same season was 2007. The playoff-bound Falcons (83) beat Liberty 17-14 in the season opener, then fell 33-27 in the Bird Bowl season finale. Liberty (7-3) ended its season with that win, while Fauquier went on to suffer a tough 17-7 loss at Potomac in the Division 5 playoffs. Potomac went 13-1 that year and lost in the D-5 state final to Stone Bridge.
Student sportswriters sought to cover high school games
The Fauquier Times is looking for student sportswriters to help cover sports this coming season. Candidates need a knowledge of sports and ability to write clearly. They’d be assigned to file stories on games, which would include quotes and stats. Stories would be edited by sports editor Peter Brewington for potential publication in the Fauquier Times and online. Contact Peter at peterbrewington@hotmail.com. “It’s going to be very hard for superintendents and localities to say it would be fine for us to have full-blown football practice on Monday afternoon when there’s no students allowed in the building,” aid VHSL chairwoman and York High principal Shannon Butler. “[The VHSL] can open sports up if we chose to do so, but that doesn’t mean all our kids would be able to play.” Citing what she deemed a widespread misconception, Butler said Gov. Northam and the state, not the VHSL, is not the final authority on whether athletics can be played.
2020-21 REVAMPED FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FEB. 22: Liberty at Fauquier, Culpeper at Kettle Run FEB. 27: Fauquier at Culpeper, Kettle Run at Liberty MARCH 5: Kettle Run at Fauquier, Culpeper at Liberty MARCH 12: Fauquier at Liberty, Kettle Run at Culpeper MARCH 19: Culpeper at Fauquier, Liberty at Kettle Run MARCH 26: District matchup based on final seeding APRIL 2: Additional 7th game if no playoffs, or bye if made playoffs
