As smoky conditions and unhealthy air quality continue across Montana, schools and sports teams are being forced to postpone their contests.
While much of Friday's football slate remains up in the air, with many teams contemplating moving contests to Saturday afternoon, Thursday's soccer schedule saw the smoke interfere. Games in Bozeman, Missoula and Stevensville were postponed due to the conditions, though Helena hosted the first of its two crosstown meetings on Thursday.
According to Belgrade athletic director Toby Robinson, Friday's football game between the Panthers and Bozeman Gallatin will be played on Saturday at 5 p.m., while the school's soccer matches against Great Falls High are postponed with no reschedule date at this time.
Other schools are also dealing with the novel coronavirus altering their scheduled athletic events. Great Falls Central confirmed to MTN Sports it will shut down its football program for two weeks, missing Friday's scheduled game against Choteau and next week's contest against Fort Benton.
Malta also canceled its Homecoming against Wolf Point after positive tests within the Wolf Point school district.
Below are a list of the weekend's contests that have been postponed. Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to send their postponements, as well as scores and statistics, to sports@ktvh.com.
Thursday, Sept. 17
Billings Skyview at Bozeman Gallatin soccer
Billings West at Bozeman soccer
Frenchtown at Stevensville soccer
Kalispell Flathead at Missoula Hellgate soccer
Missoula Big Sky at Missoula Sentinel soccer
Friday, Sept. 18
Butte Central at Corvallis football (unforeseen issue at Butte Central, per Corvallis schools; rescheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday)
Great Falls Central at Choteau football (COVID-19 related)
Great Falls High at Belgrade soccer
Bozeman Gallatin at Belgrade football (rescheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m.)
Noxon at Hot Springs football
Wolf Point at Malta football (COVID-19 related)
Saturday, Sept. 19
Saturday, Sept. 26
