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The “Fall Sports I” season came into clearer view for Northeastern Conference schools over the weekend after athletic directors from around the league met Friday to come up with fall sports schedules for all approved sports. Schedules for boys and girls soccer, cross country, field hockey and golf were all discussed during the meeting.
Schools that have elected to play in the “Fall Sports I” season and that have had play approved by their respective school committees include Peabody, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Danvers, Beverly, Masconomet and Gloucester. Most of those schools plan to begin practices the week of Sept. 21, while Danvers is holding off on starting practices until Oct. 2.
The NEC’s remaining schools — Classical, English, Saugus and Winthrop — are all currently designated as “red” districts under the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 categorization method and are not allowed to play fall sports until the “Fall Sports II” season that will run from Feb. 22 to April 25. Saugus initially approved plans to play in the “Fall Sports I” season last week when it was a “yellow” district, but its change to “red” since that vote has forced the school to put those plans on hold.
The NEC has decided on something of a set structure for how its games will be played during the “Fall Sports I” season. Boys and girls soccer will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays, field hockey will be played on Mondays and Thursdays and cross country will be played on Wednesdays and select Saturdays. The exact schedules for golf are still being ironed out as the availability of golf courses are varied.
Swampscott, Salem, Beverly and Masconomet will play their first soccer games Tuesday, October 6. Peabody, Marblehead and Gloucester will begin Friday, Oct. 9, while Danvers has a planned start date of Friday, Oct. 16.
For field hockey, Swampscott, Beverly and Masconomet will open their seasons with games Monday, Oct. 5. Marblehead, Peabody and Gloucester will get things going Thursday, Oct. 8.
Cross country teams will have five or six meets scheduled for this fall. Soccer, field hockey and golf will play 10 games/matches.
In addition, there are no plans for any postseason conference tournaments this fall. That is in contrast with what other local leagues — such as the Catholic Central League and the Cape Ann League — are planning.
