Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Revisions to area high-school sports schedules remain in a holding pattern until after the New Mexico Activities Association meets this week to determine which schools likely will or won’t participate.
The future of prep sports also is dependent on the status of coronavirus case numbers after hybrid classes in middle schools and high schools resumed Monday. If those numbers remain under control, sports are scheduled to resume for participating schools on Feb. 22.
“The NMAA told us hold off on scheduling until they have their meeting” this week, Tucumcari athletic director Wayne Ferguson said Friday. “The NMAA is going to tell us in football who we’re going to play.”
New Mexico public schools have until Feb. 15 to officially opt out of sports this spring.
Prep football’s regular season likely will be limited to four or five games. Ferguson said it remains unknown how many playoff games would be played in each division. One postseason option being considered is a seeded format, much like the Bowl Championship Series in college football.
In terms of volleyball, Ferguson said Tucumcari’s and other area schools’ district schedules will remain the same. Changes likely will be required for non-district competition, however.
He said area volleyball schools such as Logan and San Jon each will play 10 matches in their district. That may force them to eliminate games against Tucumcari to maintain a 12-game regular season.
“We possibly won’t be able to play Logan, Melrose and Fort Sumner they way we were originally scheduled,” Ferguson said. “Santa Rosa won’t start back in school until the 15th, so they’re not sure when they’ll be able to play.”
Schools must resume classroom instruction in a hybrid model this month to be eligible to play sports.
However, Ferguson said some schools that want to stay online-only have petitioned the New Mexico Public Education Department and governor’s office to allow them to play sports.
“West Las Vegas and Robertson are both staying online right now,” Ferguson said. “Robertson is wanting to file a court injunction to get to play, which doesn’t make sense to me. If the superintendent and school board are voting to stay online because it’s too dangerous to go back to school, why do you want your kids to play sports?
“There’s no telling what will happen,” Ferguson added.