I promise not to quote the lyrics to that Grateful Dead song, “Truckin’.”

You can Google it if you wish, but I’m not going to say a thing about it, except that it would have a huge part in this story.

After all, this COVID-19 thing has been going on for going on six months now. My wife Norma thinks I’m permanently attached to our kitchen table, because she hasn’t seen me move from it since March. It now serves as my desk.

College sports are on hold. Professional sports are being played in front of empty stadiums or in “bubbles.” And the jury is still out on prep sports.

These are things we’ve taken for granted, and when they were taken from us, life took a 180-degree turn. And we didn’t like it.

Fortunately, American Legion Basball gave us a respite. And we’re hoping high school sports can do likewise.

This year, the schedules are going to be very different: much shorter. No mass gatherings. Social distancing and masks are requirements in many cases.

“Our season has been cut in half,” Great Falls High golf coach Lance Olson told me Sunday. “They’re all one-day tournaments, and we’re only able to golf with our own team as a group, not with other schools and players.”

But then Olson uttered those magic words: “But at least we’re golfing! Right now, that’s all we can ask.”

Even last weekend’s Great Falls Invitational was limited to one day.

“Only 90 participants are allowed on the golf at a time,” Olson added. “We’re wondering how the postseason is going to look; whether we’ll have a traditional two-day tournament or if we’ll be able to face other golfers.

“We’re really still trying to feel things out.” 

Both high schools will be in Billings Monday for the Billings Invitational. The girls start at 11 a.m. at the Peter Yegen Golf Course, while the boys will be at Lake Hills Golf Club at noon.

The Class AA football slate was cut from 10 to seven games. Crossing the division line this year until the regular season is done is verboten. Everything is within your conference boundaries.

Even Six-Man, according to the schedules provided to me by Brandon Gondeiro of Geraldine-Highwood, has taken a hit, scheduling six games in a seven-week period for the North, Central, and Southern Divisions. The East and West circuits will only play five games in that seven week period, starting a week later than everyone else, and finishing a week earlier.

And while Class AA won’t start playing meaningful games until Sept. 11, Class C Six-Man and Eight-Man teams hit the fields this Friday and Saturday.

In fact, Great Falls Central will open this Saturday night at 7 hosting Twin Bridges at Memorial Stadium.

You read that correctly: At Memorial Stadium. It will be the Mustangs’ first regular season home games at Memorial Stadium since Richard Nixon was President.

“That’s the plan,” Wes Ross, who will debut as the Mustangs’ head coach, said.

Cross country will have double quads for everything except time trials and the crosstown meet Oct. 13. Double quads will involve all eight Eastern AA schools, with limitations on how many kids can be on the course at once: four schools will run in the early shift (boys and girls seperately, of course), and four in the later shift.

Even girls’ volleyball schedules will be the most different of all. The majority of matches will be played as doubleheaders. Case in point: C.M. Russell will open their season at home Sept. 12 against Billings Senior at 12:30, then the Rustlers will host Belgrade at 4:30.

Conversely, Great Falls High will entertain Belgrade at 12:30 the same day, and face Senior that afternoon at 4:30.

And up until that first crosstown game Sept. 29 at Great Falls High, both the Bison and Rustlers will play home games. After crosstown and until Oct. 29 (the second crosstown game at CMR), both local schools will be on the road.

We’ll handle the postseason stuff when we get there. That will make my life so much easier!

Lee Vernoy covers sports and much more for the Tribune. Email him at lvernoy@greatfallstribune.com or tribsports@greatfallstribune.com, and follow him on Twitter @GFTrib_LVernoy.

Help support local journalism. See https://cm.greatfallstribune.com/specialoffer for a special offer.