ASAA cancels fall state championships, including football playoffs

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) -

The Alaska High School State Football Playoffs, as well as all fall sports championships, were canceled by the Alaska School Activities Association Tuesday afternoon. Along with football, the state championships for volleyball, swim and dive, rifle, eSports, gymnastics, music, drama, debate and forensics have also been cancelled.

ASAA says this decision was made in consultation with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Anchorage Health Department. Also influencing the decision, “the current status of COVID-19 case counts and the projections of the case counts increasing in Anchorage and other parts of the State”, according to the press release.

West Valley was scheduled to host Palmer High School on Saturday for the first round of the Division II State Football Playoffs.

“In my mind, this is like the worst case scenario right? To get through it, to play those games, to see all the improvements and then the rug is kind of pulled out from under you," said West Valley head coach David DeVaughn. "It’s really tough looking at the group of seniors and when you say it out loud, it becomes real. Just to watch their body language completely change when they heard it out loud, that was tough.”

Monroe Catholic was set to bring in Houston on Friday for the semifinals of the DIII Playoffs. Their undefeated season ends prematurely before getting a chance to bring Monroe their first state football championship.

For the sports currently in season, Regions are allowed to complete their Regional championships if done so by November 22.

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