By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

Now the issue is settled: There will be no high school spring sports season.

Washington governor Jay Inslee's announcement Monday afternoon that there will be no more in-person public or private classes the rest of the school year as a result of the coronavirus proved to be the deciding factor.

Classes, and school sports, are now cancelled until the fall.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association made the announcement Monday evening after initially holding out hope that sports would be excepted.

"The WIAA has received clarification that the order issued by Governor Inslee on Monday includes the cancellation of all in-person extracurricular athletics and activities through the end of the school. year," the WIAA said in a press release and online statement. "This will include all regular season contests and practices as well as all postseason tournaments and championship events."

Spring sports include boys soccer, baseball, girls fastpitch softball, track and field, girls tennis and lacrosse.

"This terrible disease has not only prevented students from creating lifelong memories through competition, it has limited the valuable lessons gained through participation in education-based athletics and activities," said the WIAA statement.

Inslee said on live television that the schools decision had to be made.

"We simply cannot take the chance of reopening on-site instruction this calendar school year," he said. "We cannot risk losing the gains we have made after the peak of this pandemic presumably will have passed."

Inslee is a former Ingraham High School athlete himself.

"The decision was undoubtedly a difficult one for Governor Inslee," said the WIAA statement.