COVID-19 or not, prep sport seasons begin

On your marks, get set, go… Ready, set, hut… Bump, serve, hit.

The rules of the games have not changed, but the rules of life have now been altered, perhaps forever.

Even if sports do end up having long successful seasons this fall, these races, games and matches will not look like anything we have yet seen in any of our lifetimes. Welcome to the age of COVID-19 in the fall of 2020.

Although it seems kind of hard to believe, cross country, football and volleyball seasons get underway. But, before action even began the season was affected by coronavirus as Deer Lodge canceled its cross country meet because, wait for it, the entire Deer Lodge team was placed into quarantine earlier this week.

In its place, Thompson Falls coach Sarah Naegeli has put together a new cross country race to be run in Thompson Falls Saturday. The impromptu XC race will begin at 10 a.m. on Power Park Island and use the Thompson Falls trail system for the run.

Naegeli said that the Mission cross country team will be the only other runners involved besides those from Thompson Falls.

In football, there should be two games involving county teams this week. The Thompson Falls Blue Hawks, who enjoyed one of their finest seasons in school history last fall in their first season at the 8-Man level, will visit Mission Saturday at 7 p.m.

As detailed in another story, Plains will open its 8-Man season versus Flint Creek in Philipsburg at 7 p.m. Friday.

Sanders County 6-Man teams Hot Springs and Noxon do not open season play until the following week.

Volleyball season also starts this week for county teams. The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks are set to road-trip to Great Falls Central Friday and then travel to Fairfield for a match there Saturday.

The Hot Springs Savage Heat are set to visit Arlee Saturday and visit Clark Fork in Superior Tuesday. The Plains Trotters will host the Noxon Lady Red Devils to open season play for those teams on Tuesday as well.