The Hawaii High School Athletic Association has extended the no-contact rule for prep coaches and players to Sept. 13.

The extension was expected as COVID-19 cases increased in the islands. The rule is being applied to all sports. Traditional fall sports football, cross country, girls volleyball and competitive cheer were postponed to January at the earliest. A winter sport classified as “higher risk” by the National Federation of High Schools, wrestling, does not have a start date yet.

At Mililani, it’s status quo. Football coach Rod York has asked his staff and players to be cautious.

“I believe this is a great move. Scary times and we have to put the safety of people first,” he said. “Rumors of (another) shutdown. Parks and beaches have restrictions. So it makes sense to extend the contact date.”

Saint Louis coach Ron Lee expected the same.

“Everyone took it for granted that nothing would go. We’re not going until January, so we don’t need to go yet,” he said.

There was no mention of a definite start date for air riflery and bowling, the only two sports permitted by the HHSAA this fall. The possibility of moving “moderate risk” sports like golf, tennis, baseball and softball to the fall has not been mentioned, though there had been support by coaches and student-athletes for a variety of start-date options.

Hawaii is one of seven states that postponed some or all fall sports to 2021. One byproduct of the delay is that a few student-athletes have transferred to Utah, where football season is underway. Though two games there were canceled over the weekend due to cases of coronavirus, the rest of the schedule played out.

Kamehameha senior quarterback Kia‘i Keone transferred to Orem on July 27. Lahainaluna standout Devon Sa-Chisholm also transferred to Orem and played in the team’s first game.

Another Kamehameha football player, Tausili Akana, is also suiting up for Orem. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound sophomore posted his highlight video on Twitter. He has scholarship offers from Hawaii, BYU, Utah and Arizona State.

By rule, the HHSAA does not permit student-athletes to play one sport during two seasons during one academic year.

The rule was adopted after April Atuaia played basketball at Orem and transferred to Kahuku to compete in back-to-back seasons during 2000.

Keone and Akana will be permitted to transfer back to Kamehameha after the semester, according to Keone. They will not be eligible to play for the Warriors in the 2021 winter/spring seasons.