Maine health officials have given the green light for high schools to begin fall sports, but many conferences and local athletic directors are proceeding with caution in scheduling games. In Boothbay, field hockey and cross country athletes are anxiously awaiting their schedules. Athletic Director Allan Crocker is working on a Mountain Valley Conference cross country schedule which he hopes to finish soon. He is also working on an eight-game field hockey season with conference and other Midcoast opponents. 

The first field hockey contest is a pre-season game slated for Sept. 24 versus Morse High School at Perkins Field. Crocker reported field hockey spectators are allowed for non-conference games. Crocker reported that some schools will allow home spectators only, and some schools won’t allow any.

“The MVC voted against spectators, but we will allow spectators for non-conference games. There is a limit of 100 for outdoor gatherings. So after you count the players, coaches and officials, I don’t know how many that leaves for fans,” Crocker said. 

He is scheduling a field hockey game versus Lincoln Academy. One MVC opponent, Winthrop, cancelled a previously scheduled game. Crocker reported the Winthrop school board decided to play only Kennebec County teams this fall.

The Seahawks cross country team has a combined 14 boy and girl runners. Dennis Dacus is coaching after Nick Scott decided against coaching this fall due to “personal reasons,” according to Crocker. State health officials decided against allowing eight- and 11-man football and volleyball this fall. Schools have an option to play seven-on-seven or flag football. Volleyball teams are allowed to move their sport from indoors to outdoors. Boothbay decided against the alternative football seasons. Crocker and football coach Ed Crocker decided to wait to play in a proposed spring season.

“We didn’t think our football players would continue for either seven-on-seven or flag football with everything up in the air,”Allan Crocker said. 

The Maine Principals Association is considering playing football along with traditional spring sports in a shortened and staggered season. “That is the plan, and we are still waiting for details,” he said. 

The Boothbay girls’ soccer team had hoped to resume action this fall. Last season, Boothbay ended the season prior to the regular season finish due to a player shortage. Boothbay was working on a cooperative agreement with Wiscasset Middle/High School this fall. But Wiscasset decided earlier this fall against competing this season in MPA events due to COVID-19. This resulted in Boothbay forming a club sport. “(Varsity coach) Matt Brewer asked to form a club team,” Allan Crocker said. “I’m working on a JV schedule for them now.”

The MPA is allowing up to 10 regular season games for soccer and field hockey with no postseason tournaments in any fall sport.