High School Football is back in San Joaquin County; Stanislaus County misses mark
For Escalon, Ripon, and Ripon Christian high schools, football is officially back.
With a COVID-19 case rate of 11.6, which the state announced Tuesday, San Joaquin County fell below the 14 cases per 100,000 residents or under standard allowing football and a few other outdoor sports to return to action.
Stanislaus County, at 15.7 and Merced County, at 16.5, missed the mark.
“I could not be happier for the kids,” Ripon football coach Chris Musseman said via text. “They have been strung along for months. It’s about time something goes their way.”
All three, which are playing in the Valley Oak League for this year only, can have football games on March 13 if they start testing immediately and have 10 days of practice without any cancellations. However, games will most likely begin the following week.
Other high-contact sports such as boys and girls soccer and boys and girls water polo are allowed as well.
Officials expect Stanislaus County to fall below the 14 case-rate number by next Tuesday, when new data is released..
| County | 2/16 | 2/23 | 3/2 |
| Calaveras | 21.3 | 9.4 | 4.5 |
| Merced | 26.8 | 19.5 | 16.5 |
| San Joaquin | 25.1 | 17.1 | 11.6 |
| Stanislaus | 31.3 | 20.8 | 15.7 |
| Tuolumne | 13.1 | 10.9 | 5.2 |
Tuolumne County fell below the adjusted case rate of 7 per 100,000 residents required for testing athletes and will not have to test before competitions.
Whether or not fans will be allowed at stadiums will be up to each school but the state’s health department recommends spectators be limited to “immediate household members”.
The state is also expected to release guidelines for weekly testing for football and water polo athletes and coaches this week.
