COVID-19 throws curveballs in Minnesota's already limited high school sports season

(FOX 9) - It's only week two of a shortened high school football schedule and COVID-19 is now forcing more cancellations. Several schools already postponed their season openers last week.

Chanhassen reported that this Friday night’s varsity and Saturday’s JV games were cancelled due to quarantine involving the team. Thursday night’s 9th grade game is still on. However, school leaders confirmed the varsity game will be played later this month.

In a statement to FOX 9, the superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools said, “This is an important game for our entire community, and we don’t take this cancellation lightly. I am thrilled to share, however, that thanks to the quick work of our athletic directors, we have been able to reschedule the varsity game for Friday, Oct. 30, at Chanhassen.”

High school football restarted in Minnesota with strict COVID-19 precautions including screenings before practices and very limited fans allowed in games.

It was planned as a shortened season of six games, with only a two-week post-season. And while some games got underway as scheduled, coronavirus changed even those careful plans.

Rosemount, Robbinsdale Armstrong, Osakis, St. Agnes and Kasson-Mantorville are among teams cancelling games due to COVID-19 cases among players.

Meanwhile, at least five other teams across the state had to cancel because schools switched to distance learning, which automatically cancels all activities.

Many schools are now scrambling to reschedule games or find replacement opponents, salvaging whatever is possible from an already slimmed-down season.