The deteriorating situation related to the spread of the coronavirus in the state has now reached our local high school sports, with the California Interscholastic Federation announcing Tuesday that all regional and state championships for fall sports would be called off.

CIF officials stopped short of cancelling the entire season and are waiting for guidance from the California Department of Public Health on the future of high school sports. State public health officials postponed the issuance of their updated youth sports guidance until at least the beginning of the year, which means that for now the season is on hold.

The cancellation of the playoffs was enacted with the hope that if CIF gets the go ahead from the state in early January, there will be enough time for a full season of play, albeit without the playoffs.

In July, CIF condensed the typical three season schedule into two, and delayed the start of fall season from September to December. The hope last summer was the outbreak would have subsided by now and athletes could return to competition.