Fall sports season begins Saturday; football not allowed

After watching any remaining hope of a winter sports season dissolve last week, both Fallon and Oasis Academy turn their attention to the fall season, which begins this weekend with tryouts.

All but football have been approved for competition, which runs from March 5 to April 10 and includes a week of regional postseason.

Gov. Steve Sisolak and his office and the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association have been working on lifting football and other high-contact sports from the “no-play” list announced in October. No NIAA-sanctioned spring sports are affected but lacrosse, a club sport and Oasis Academy’s most successful, is on the list.

With those sports approved for competition, mitigation guidelines are in place to help limit the spread of COVID-19. These include testing, screening, distancing and face coverings. The NIAA posted an update last week exempting coaches, managers, 

Fallon senior Cole Hamlin and the Greenwave soccer program begin their season with tryouts Saturday at the high school field.

 

For information on NIAA requirements and guidance on each sport for the fall season, visit www.niaa.com and click on “COVID-19 UPDATES” on the left panel.

The Greenwave and Bighorns are coming off a successful 2019 fall season.

Fallon finished second in the state football championship to Fernley and Oasis Academy competed in its first NIAA state event when Savannah Robinson qualified in cross country. Fallon’s volleyball team qualified for the regional tournament, and the tennis program sent one boys singles player and one girls doubles team to the state tournament. Fallon also qualified a cross-country runner for the state meet.

The fall season, which normally begins in August, was bumped to February due to the pandemic. The spring season follows with the first day of practices on April 3, and competition begins on April 16 and ends on May 22 with a week of postseason.

Oasis Academy will allow fans on a limited basis per state directive. At this time, Fallon in conjunction with the 3A will not be allowing fans, but schools will reassess if the gatherings limit is increased. Complicating the situation is schools will be required to screen spectators, enforce social distancing and face coverings, manage flows to avoid congestion, and ensure adequate separation from players and fans.

Both schools are equipped to stream select games through the National Federation of State High Schools. Fallon will have cameras set up in the main gymnasium and football field, and Oasis Academy will have one set up at the city-county gym.

For Fallon, which competes in the 3A, tryouts and practices begin on Saturday for boys and girls soccer, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls tennis, girls golf and volleyball. Oasis Academy, which begins in the 1A, will begin its volleyball and cross country seasons on Monday.

All student-athletes must be registered to compete and bring their own masks and water. For registration questions, contact Sandra Trotter (Fallon) at trotters@churchillcsd.com or Lisa Swan (Oasis Academy) at lswan@oanv.org.

Fallon

Boys soccer tryouts for both junior varsity and varsity are Saturday at the high school soccer field from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Girls soccer tryouts for both junior varsity and varsity are Saturday at the high school soccer field at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Volleyball tryouts for freshman, junior varsity and varsity are Saturday at 8 a.m. for conditioning and 11 a.m. for skills.

Tennis tryouts for both boys and girls teams are Saturday at 10 a.m. at the high school tennis courts. For information, contact greenwavetennis@gmail.com or visit the program’s Facebook page by searching “CCHS Greenwave Tennis.”

For girls golf and cross country, contact the school at 423-2181 or trotters@churchillcsd.com.

For football, which is on the governor’s “no-play” list, coach Brooke Hill has been conducting conditioning workouts on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Oasis Academy

Tryouts for the Bighorns’ volleyball program start on Monday at 6 a.m. although the school is holding voluntary preseason workouts this week.

Workouts run from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 7-9 a.m. on Friday at the city-county gym next door to Oasis Academy.

Oasis Academy plans on filling both junior varsity and varsity teams with up to 12 spots for each. All girls interested in competing for the Bighorns – regardless of experience – are encouraged to participate in the preseason workouts and try out next week.

Questions should be directed to coach Shayna Byrd via email at sbyrd@oanv.org.

For cross country, those interested will meet at the school on Monday. No time was available and prospective students need to contact the school.