Syracuse, N.Y. — Coronavirus has claimed its first victim on the Section III fall high school sports scene.

Cooperstown announced Wednesday its decision to cancel the fall sports season because of concerns about the pandemic.

“We have based our decision on guidance from the Centers for Disease Controls, The New York State and Otsego County Departments of Public Health, and information from our colleagues at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association,” superintendent William Crankshaw said in a statement posted on the school’s website.

“Ultimately, the district’s decision will keep our students, their families, our coaches, and those with whom we compete against safer. It is our hope that this decision, combined with other cohort and safety measures, will allow our students to return to school in person by October 5th. In addition, it was recently announced that New York State will withhold twenty percent of its aid to schools, equating to just over $1.2 million dollars for Cooperstown. Suspending the Fall athletic season until 2021, among other cost-cutting measures already initiated by the district, will help close the gap caused by this loss of aid.”

Section III executive director John Rathbun said Cooperstown is the first Section III district he’s aware of that is postponing fall scholastic sports. The Class C school competes in Division III of the Center State Conference.

Section III has sent out surveys to all of its 106 school districts asking their opinions on the feasibility of fall sports.

The three options are:

• Stay with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s current plan of letting sports considered low risk for coronavirus spread, such as cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and field hockey, begin practice on Sept. 21 and then play games while letting high-risk sports like volleyball and football practice but not yet play.
• Let the low-risk sports practice and play and permit the high risk sports to practice for a week and then if they don’t get full clearance by Sept. 28 move them to after Jan. 1.
• Move all low- and high-risk sports fall until after Jan. 1.

The section’s executive council is expected to meet Friday and make a decision about which path to take.

More High School Sports Coverage

NYSPHSAA delays start of high school sports winter season in New York

New Hartford junior Kaia Henderson adds offer from St. Bonaventure

High school volleyball players wait while others get green light: ‘It’s almost cruel’

Syracuse football recruit Duce Chestnut falls in 247Sports rankings: ‘Don’t mean doodly-squat,’ coach says

Section III announces School of Distinction and School of Excellence winners

Fowler athletic stadium update: Lettering added, track installed (video)

Former J-D star Tyler Cavanaugh’s new pro basketball destination: An island paradise

Lindsay Kramer is a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? He can be reached via email at LKramer@Syracuse.com.