The Martin High School athletic program received a dose of déjà vu Sunday evening with the announcement of new state restrictions because of Covid-19.

The Clippers’ varsity eight-man football team was all set to play in the state semifinals next Saturday at Adrian Lenawee Christian, but the ballgame has been called off. It was March 13 when the state’s lockdown halted the Martin girls’ varsity regional finals basketball game against St. Joseph Michigan Catholic.

One of the new restrictions announced by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is the cessation of all high school athletic contests. The only sports impacted are teams in the football playoffs and those in the state volleyball finals.

It is not known yet if the games lost will be picked up again.

Spiking Coronavirus cases perhaps most importantly have mandated the closing of all in-person high school classes for the next three weeks, beginning Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Students from preschool through eighth grades may continue because health officials have determined the largest number of cases have been reported in high schools, where students still can take instruction on on-line and parents won’t have to contend as much with child care issues.

Other important restrictions announced include:

• Everyone must work from home unless it is impossible.
• No dine-in service for bars and restaurants; takeout only.
• Special education and ELL services to remain open in high schools.
• K-8 encouraged to stay in person if possible.
• Certain indoor venues such as casinos will be closed.
• Large Thanksgiving gatherings are discouraged.
• Residents are asked to confine shopping activities to grocery and pharmacy business, though salons and hair cut places can remain open.

The restrictions implemented last spring were more strict, asking people to remain in their dwellings as much as possible.