Valley News Sports Editor
Published: 9/25/2017 2:25:00 PM
Modified: 9/25/2017 5:16:35 PM
West Lebanon — Hot weather to start the week has led several Upper Valley high schools to postpone or adjust their sports schedules.
According to Vermont Principals Association guidelines, schools are required to stop outdoor workouts when the heat index — what the temperature feels like to the human body — exceeds 86 degrees. Schools may cancel events or may move them to times when cooler temperatures are anticipated.
At the Lebanon Municipal Airport at about 2:15 this afternoon, the temperature was reported at 88 degrees, with a heat index of 91 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. (On this day last year, the high was 63 degrees, according to Weather Underground.)
Meteorologists are predicting temperatures to top out in the mid- to upper 80s through Wednesday.
South Royalton put off varsity boys and girls soccer games with Cabot this afternoon because of high temperatures, boys coach Alex Montano said in an email. The South Royalton and Oxbow cross country teams also canceled a planned meet at Lyndon Institute due to the weather.
Aside from the cross country meet, Oxbow also called off all practices as well as a junior varsity football game. Hartford High also cancelled a scheduled jayvee football contest and set up varsity football practice from 5-7 p.m. The Hurricanes’ varsity field hockey game against Brattleboro, scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed to Oct. 6 because of the forecast.
Rivendell Academy bumped a boys soccer game with Chelsea this afternoon in Orford as well as a Tuesday girls contest with the Red Devils back one hour to a 5:30 p.m. kickoff. Windsor High bumped all of its practices this afternoon to 5 p.m. or later.
Sharon Academy announced via its booster club that this afternoon’s junior varsity games against Windsor have been canceled, as well as all junior varsity practices. Varsity teams are practicing for an hour but “practice will be modified to walkthroughs and will partially take place indoors.”