Massachusetts becomes 16th state to move high school football to 2021

Board of Managers unanimously votes to keep fall sports intact, but start football on Feb. 22.

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Massachusetts became the 16th state to move the 2020 football season to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced Wednesday that it approved a recommendation from the organization's COVID-19 Task Force and the Department of Secondary Education to keep low and moderate risk sports in the fall, but move higher risk sports like football to a "floating season," starting Feb. 22.

The state had moved back its original Aug. 17 kickoff date one month, but Wednesday the MIAA's Board of Managers voted unanimously to change the football date once more. They are one of several to reconsider previous plans.

Last week, Michigan and North Carolina moved planned fall football starts to the spring the same week college football Power 5 conferences, the Big Ten and Pac-12 moved all fall sports back to 2021.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS RE-START: Updates from all 50 states

High school football kicked off nationally in Utah last, with 50 combined games taking place. One team, perennial power Bingham (Jordan) canceled an opening night game due to two positive coronavirus tests from players, and after Friday's openers, Cypress (Magna, Utah) was forced to cancel its upcoming game with Ridgeline (Millville, Utah) for the same reason.

In Massachusetts, the fall sports season will go on as planned for golf, volleyball, cross country, field hockey, soccer and gymnastics with practices beginning Sept. 18 and the season concluding Nov. 20.

After a winter season (Nov. 30-Feb. 21) with traditional sports, the floating season will include football, cheerleading and unified basketball from Feb. 22 to April 25. The spring sports season is scheduled April 26 to July 3.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL KICKOFFS: Updates from all 50 states

States that plan to kick off football in the fall now stand at 32 (including Utah), while 16 states, plus the District of Columbia, plan to start sometime in 2021. Two states, Maine and Pennsylvania are still deciding.

The Concord-Carlisle Patriots line up for the opening kickoff of a 2019 game with Wayland.

Photo by Mike Braca