“We talked about the kinds of confusion, conflicts, and potential conflicts that are different for the large counties,” Leahy said. “The end of that story is that the MHSA made their board decision not to flip.”

Football, Leahy said, is one of the highest-risk sports for virus transmission, due to the close proximity of players on the field and the general direct contact nature of the sport.

Class AA teams, of course, come from the largest cities in Montana, all in counties with active cases; some with the highest case counts in the state. According to state statistics posted Wednesday, Yellowstone County has 1,864 cases; Gallatin, 1,089; Flathead, 539; Missoula, 417; Cascade, 258; Lewis and Clark, 191, and Silver Bow, 110.

MHSA board president Mark Beckman confirmed there was a push to move Class AA football to spring.

Beckman said the board looked at the proposal for spring football and “discussed it at length” before a motion to do so was called and not seconded.

“There was then a motion to continue on with the requirements and considerations in place that have been put out, and that did pass,” Beckman said. “So we did consider it.”

However, Leahy took issue with the MHSA saying it had consulted with public health prior to the July 27 release of the return-to-play plan.