By Gary Dove

WN Sports Writer
The decision by the Virginia High School Sports League Wednesday to not allow high schools in the Old Dominion to play football this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with local West Virginia high schools’ schedules, and especially River View High School.
The Raiders were already dealt a double-whammy last week when the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission (WVSSAC) moved to push the start of the regular season back a week by cancelling all of the scheduled opening week games.
River View, granted permission for the second season in a row to open the regular season on Monday night of the opening week against Montcalm, was also scheduled to play Mount View in the traditional Friday night opener four evenings later.
With last week’s edict, the Raiders saw their former ten game schedule reduced to eight games.
With Virginia’s decision Wednesday, games with Grundy, Hurley and Twin Valley also won’t be played this fall.
It appears the Battle of the Views between Mount View and River View will be played on October 16, an open date for both teams on their previously completed schedules, but the Montcalm-River View game is still in limbo, along with three opponents to replace the departed Virginia teams.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights, looking to open and showcase their brand new Vic Nystrom Stadium on the Mount View campus, were scheduled to inaugurate the new facility on September 11 against Tazewell, VA, which won’t happen due to the Virginia hiatus from football this season.
Hopefully a replacement can be found by Mount View to replace Tazewell, as right now, the Knights only have an eight game card.
As it stands right now, Mount View head coach Maurice Gravely and athletic director Larry Barber along with Raider head coach George Kennedy and AD Doris Wimmer will be scurrying to fill their respective schedules, with the uncertainty that West Virginia schools will actually be allowed to play football in 2020.