Heights punts on fall sports: Vanguards will try playing in the spring

Friday night lights will have to wait. The soccer pitch will be empty. So will the cross country trails. The Wisconsin Heights school board voted Monday to push all fall sports to the spring due to concerns regarding COVID-19. The WIAA Board of Control recently approved several details for fall sports to also be played in the spring for the 2020-21 calendar year only. Several schools from across the state canceled their original fall seasons due to fears of COVID-19, and Wisconsin Heights followed that lead Monday. Wisconsin Heights offers 8-man football, girls volleyball, girls swimming and diving, boys soccer, and boys and girls cross country in the fall. Girls swimming and diving will be the first fall-to-winter/spring sport to begin and will run from Feb. 15 through the week of April 5. Girls golf will be the last fall-to-winter/spring sport to begin and will run from March 29 until the week of May 17. The WIAA Board of Control reduced the number of weeks for winter and spring sports seasons to create a seven-week window for a second fall season. So under the new calendar, here’s how things will look for Wisconsin Heights.   2020-21 Alternate Fall Sports Season Start & End Dates Girls swimming and diving — (Monday, Feb. 15 - Week of April 5*) Boys and girls volleyball — (Monday, Feb. 22 - Week of April 12*) Football — (Monday, March 8 - Week of May 3*) - Earliest first game is Wednesday, March 24 Boys and girls cross country — (Monday, March 15 - Week of May 3*) Boys soccer — (Monday, March 22 - Week of May 10*)   For planning and scheduling purposes, schools were required to declare if they planned to participate in the traditional fall season or the alternate fall season in the spring by Sept. 1.  The alternate fall schedule will overlap with spring sports, so the WIAA has said athletes can compete in two sports at the same time. That could be tricky for athletes to juggle, though, and might lead to some bypassing one sport they’d typically play. Here’s a look at the dates for traditional spring sports at Heights.   2020-21 Spring Sports Season Start & End Dates Boys golf — (Monday, April 19 - Week of June 14*) Baseball — (Monday, April 19 - Week of June 28*) Softball — (Monday, April 19 - Week of June 28*) Boys and girls track and field — (Monday, April 19 - Week of June 28*) Boys tennis — (Monday, May 3 - Week of June 21*) Girls soccer — (Monday, April 26 - Week of June 28*)