Lopez: What I’m watching in this unprecedented Stanislaus District football season
For the first time in 15 months, 65 weeks, 460 days, and over 11,000 hours (not that I am counting or anything), high school football returns to the Stanislaus District.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended our lives as we know it and there were plenty of signs we wouldn’t have high school football this school year.
But, we will and it be different.
It’s a condensed five-week season with no playoffs.
The Modesto Bee won’t have weekly rankings or a player of the year because it’s tough to gauge how teams will treat this season.
That is just one of the things I am watching this year.
Here are five storylines to watch:
What will define a successful season?
Talking with local coaches, some have said the five-game schedule is a glorified “spring season”.
It’s a chance for younger players to get their first reps on varsity while giving seniors one last final hurrah.
One coach told me if his team is able to play just one game, it’s a successful season.
With no playoffs, will teams claim league championships?
COVID isn’t gone just yet.
Most of the state began their prep season last week and there were cancellations because of the coronavirus.
Del Oro vs Granite Bay was going to be a matchup of two stellar programs but was called off due to a positive test within the Del Oro program last Friday.
Del Oro is quarantining its varsity team for 14 days per the Sacramento Bee and will not play this weekend either.
Unless a county has an adjusted case rate of under seven per 100,000 residents, football teams must test weekly.
Most teams are testing on Monday or Tuesday in order to get their results back in time.
Teams must alert each other of who is eligible 24 hours before a game is scheduled.
Unfortunately, games will be canceled and as some have said, a positive test or outbreak could shut down a program for a few weeks, possibly costing a team the entire season.
What will games look like?
There won’t be packed stadiums on Friday nights because the state’s health department has recommended schools and school districts to limit attendance to “immediate family members.”
Stanislaus County is not placing a strict number on number of attendees allowed but are following the state’s guidelines, according to Public Health Educator Bobby Moser.
Modesto City Schools and the Turlock Unified School District are allowing two tickets per football player and cheerleader.
Student bands are also allowed to attend.
MCS is allowing bands to perform at halftime only but they will arrive before their performance and leave immediately after.
We have already grown accustomed to watching sports with limited (or no) fans and it will be interesting to see and hear what football environments are like.
Some schools plan on live-streaming games as well.
Same faces, new places
This season will bring us the same leagues but with some new additions, albeit for only the five-week season.
The Trans-Valley League is gone with Escalon and Ripon in the Valley Oak League, Hilmar in the Central California Conference, and Hughson and Riverbank in the Southern League.
Modesto Christian does not have a team this year.
Escalon, Hilmar, and Ripon coaches and players are excited about playing bigger (enrollment) schools and a step up in competition.
The CCC and VOL are both in Division III while TVL was in Div. V.
Patterson, usually in the CCC, will play in the Western Athletic Conference with Beyer, Ceres, Central Valley, Davis, Johansen, Lathrop, Los Banos, Mountain House, and Pacheco.
Just football
Finally, I am looking forward to just watching football.
Whether it’s seeing that senior make his debut in the fourth quarter of the final game of the season or the joy on a player’s face after scoring a touchdown after months of conditioning, I just can’t wait to see it all.
I always complain when the junior varsity game delays the varsity start by 30 minutes but for this year, I will enjoy it.
Next year, it’s back to complaining.
Once again, football is back.
Finally!
You can email game results and individual accolades to jalopez@modbee.com.
