AMERICAN FORK, Utah — A high school football game in Utah was temporarily halted Thursday when some fans in the stands were not wearing masks or following social distancing guidelines.
Unbeaten American Fork High School was hosting Timpview High School, and spectators were given assigned seats and told to maintain proper social distancing, KTXV reported. When it became apparent that the guidelines were being violated, American Fork athletic director Jeremy Lewis told the crowd the game would not resume until proper protocols were followed, the newspaper reported.
American Fork High School AD Jeremy Lewis stopped his school's football game due to fans not following mask and social distancing requirements.
— Stadium (@Stadium) August 21, 2020
He would not allow play to resume until fans followed the guidelines. pic.twitter.com/RCq3Jt8nRM
“I’m just the messenger and that’s just me doing my job,” Lewis told the Deseret News. “More and more we get to realize the privilege we all have in Utah to actually be at football games, and certainly for the kids to be out there -- playing the game that they love. So my job is to help ensure it happens and can continue. We all want that.”
Lewis told the newspaper that the stadium had been sold to 25% capacity and that fans were asked to remain in their assigned sections.
“We’ve sold the stadium at 25% capacity and we’ve asked people to stay in their assigned sections,” Lewis told the News. “It’s about not being grouped together and simply wearing masks,” Lewis told the News. “Our fans are great here and we were counting on all of them to comply, and we eventually saw that.
“But at the same time, we’re absolutely serious about this. We have our instructions put in place and it’s my job to make certain those instructions are followed.”
After the game resumed, American Fork (2-0), which reached the Class 6A state championship game last year, took a 31-21 victory against Timpview (0-2), according to Bleacher Report.
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