Football is a fall sport, so COVID-19 hasn’t interrupted much in this high school sport until this week.

While the Big 33 Football Classic has been played every year since 1958, that will change due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is with great regret that the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association will be canceling all our major events around the Memorial Day weekend,” Big 33 executive director Garry Cathell said in a press release. “These events include the Big 33 Football Classic, East-West game, PSFCA combine, USA Football’s 1st Down clinic, Military Murph competition and the Big 33 Fan Experience.”

On April 1, Cathell pushed back a final decision on the Big 33 — Pennsylvania vs. Maryland — and the accompanying East-West All-Star game for two weeks.

The recent decision by Gov. Tom Wolf to keep schools closed through the academic year forced the hand of the PSFCA.

All events surrounding the games are prohibited from taking place at Central Dauphin’s Landis Field.

The Big 33 and East-West game were scheduled together. The East-West on Sunday, May 24, and Big 33 on Memorial Day.

“Due to the coronavirus constraints placed upon each individual and the businesses that help make the event one of the best in the country, we cannot hold the event as we normally do,” Cathell said. “The importance to our participants, families, workers, and fans’ safety is top priority with the PSFCA when holding events.”

Warren Area High School football coach Mark Morelli had some positive news in the fact that seniors Ryan Arnold and Alex Anderson have been chosen to play in the District 10 North-South senior all-star game in June, if that is indeed held, and Arnold, Anderson, Jamo Douvlos, and Tony Batiste are on the roster for Pennsylvania vs. New York in the Big 30 Charities Classic in August.

The thought is that if the games aren’t held, the players will at least be recognized in the near future.

“I have not heard anything more as to any contingency plans,” said Morelli.