Dartmouth High to participate in Fall II season

Feb 9, 2021

Tom Brady won’t be the only one to step on the gridiron this month. 

After the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association voted to approve the Fall II season on Jan. 29, Dartmouth Athletic Director Andrew Crisafulli confirmed at a Feb. 8 School Committee meeting that the Indians would indeed compete this season.

According to Crisafulli, the football team would play at least two Friday night games at Memorial Stadium during the shortened season.

“I figure with not having to worry about EEE for the first time in a number of years, we might as well take advantage of that” he laughed. “There’s no guarantees in the fall that we won’t be under those restrictions again.”

Football won’t be the only sport making its socially distanced debut. Other Fall II sports the Indians will partake in will be unified basketball, cheer, and boys/girls winter tracks.

According to the athletic director, the only sport that would take place indoors is unified basketball.

Although cheerleading competition cannot happen under the MIAA rules, Crisafulli said the cheer team would still be able to appear at the football games.

Track would also remain outdoors. Cirsafulli noted that the usual indoor sites “are not allowing outside groups to come in.”

To try and limit contact, he said, track meets would potentially be held virtually — with only the Dartmouth track team running at a site and comparing the times with the opponents.

The Fall II season will begin Feb. 22 and run through April 25.