The novel coronavirus continues to exact a significant toll on the varsity football season.

The COVID-19 pandemic teamed up with Tropical Storm Eta to alter portions of last week’s high school athletic schedule.

Keymari Odum, a senior for the Ridge Community High School football team, moved from playing quarterback for the Bolts to wide receiver.

The high school varsity football season has progressed similar to that of a long roller coaster ride.

The Bartow High football program has had quite the turnaround over the past three seasons, capped by a decisive win over Lake Wales in the Yellow Jackets’ regular season finale Nov. 6.

The Lake Wales High boys and girls bowling programs were represented at the 2020 FHSAA state bowling championships.

WINTER HAVEN – Children on restriction are playing baseball.

AUBURNDALE – The Florida Tropics SC, Presented by Bond Clinic, showed up with plenty of treats for their fans this Halloween weekend, scoring six times in the first half and five more in the second to cruise past Sporting Tampa Bay FC Nov. 1 at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, 11-1.

What’s in store for area cross country runners at the upcoming regional meets?

The Sunshine State Athletic Conference 8-Man Class AA playoffs kicked off Oct. 30 with second-seeded All Saints’ Academy defeating No. 7 seed Shorecrest Prep 42-12.

Bartow High senior guard Walter Clayton recently made his commitment to Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., where he’ll play for former Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, who was named head basketball coach of the Gaels in March.

The Winter Haven girls volleyball team celebrated the Class 6A-District 15 title after consecutive five-set victories over Harmony and Viera.

Despite being at Winter Haven Christian for just two months, Elissa MacDonald has already made an immediate impact, setting the girls record in cross country at the school and winning four medals so far this season.

The Bartow and Lake Wales varsity football teams remained undefeated last Friday, while Fort Meade reached the .500 mark the same night with its second straight victory.

Frostproof High golfer Lane Revell made the successful first step toward becoming a three-time state qualifier.

HAINES CITY – Winter Haven Police Department officers won first place in the “Hoops & Heroes” fundraiser basketball tournament, held Oct. 2 to benefit the Ridge Community High School Lady Bolts basketball team.

Lake Region High hosted the Thunder Twilight event last Thursday, Oct. 1, with junior varsity and varsity five-kilometer races for boys and girls.

The FHSAA released girls volleyball district tournament brackets last Wednesday, Sept. 30. Member schools had until Sept. 18 to opt out of the state series, while a blind draw was utilized to determine the initial matchups.

The first meeting of new Polk County rivals in the United Premier Soccer League went to the Florida Tropics.

While area high school football teams push through the regular season amid the pandemic, the Florida High School Athletic Association recently unveiled regional assignments on which the state playoffs will be based.

The Frostproof Bulldogs hosted the Lake Placid Dragons on Oct. 2 and won 40-7, improving to 2-0 on the season.

Bartow High School varsity football head coach Richard Tate won the Tampa Bay Buccaneers High School Coach of the Week award for Week Three on Oct. 3.

The All Saints Academy girls volleyball has started the season 5-4 and a big part of their success has been the play of Jenna Johnson. Johnson, who is a junior, leads the team in kills with 109 and has the highest percentage of kills on the team with 42.9%.

Lake Region High senior Michael Collins and his Thunder cross country teammates look to utilize a home-course advantage this week.

Freshman defensive tackle Gervon Dexter made the most of his playing time in the University of Florida’s 51-35 victory at Ole Miss last Saturday.

Baltimore Orioles star and Winter Haven native Trey Mancini has completed his prescribed course of chemotherapy treatment for Stage 3 Colon Cancer.

True freshman Josh Celiscar (Winter Haven) made a significant impact in his first collegiate game with the UCF Knights. Celiscar recovered a first-quarter fumble, registered his first career interception during the second quarter and had one pass reception for 11 yards in the fourth quarter …

The girls varsity volleyball season is progressing faster than a quick set.

Josh Celiscar a true freshman for the UCF football team and a Winter Haven High School alum, made a significant impact in his first collegiate game.

DAVENPORT — A late rally for the Ridge Community Bolts fell short as the Lake Wales Highlanders, playing in their first game of the season, held on for a 36-28 victory Sept. 18.

Zay Mathis turned in a career-best performance for All Saints Academy against City of Life Christian Academy, as he rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns in a 64-6 win on Sept. 4.

Being thankful for the opportunity to play a high school football game outweighed the importance of wins and losses.

Warner University and Southeastern University picked up season-opening victories last Saturday.

HAINES CITY – The Ridge Community High School girls’ basketball program is teaming with the Haines City Police Department’s COPS unit for a fundraiser called “Hoops & Heroes.”

LAKELAND — The Winter Haven High School football team's first game of the COVID-19 era was spoiled by host Victory Christian Academy Sept. 11 on the campus of Southeastern University.

Auburndale High School graduate Artavis Pierce was among 18 players waived last Saturday by the Chicago Bears, as National Football League teams reached the mandatory 53-player limit in preparation for the start of the 2020 regular season.

Sept. 18 has emerged as a significant date when the Florida High School Athletic Association released its plan for the fall sports season.

Heading into his final year on the gridiron at Winter Haven High School, Jakobe Lane is set to lead a relatively young team this season. Lane is one of four siblings to play football at Winter Haven High.

What will a fall season of local collegiate athletics look like during the COVID-19 pandemic?

WINTER HAVEN — High school football programs within Polk County Public Schools, including the Winter Haven High School Blue Devils, were given the green light to begin practicing on Aug. 26.

Justin Stewart turned in a solid summer on the mound for the Leesburg Lightning, a team in the Florida Collegiate Summer League — a showcase and development league for college baseball players.

WINTER HAVEN – Organizers of an open bass tournament at Tanner's Lakeside on Sept. 12 want to create a college scholarship for young anglers.

Howie Judson, a former Major League Baseball player for the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Redlegs, died Aug. 18 in Winter Haven.

Coming off of a solid summer for the Winter Garden Squeeze, Auburndale High alum Nicholas Shower is looking to continue that momentum into next spring in his final season at Ohio Valley University. For the Squeeze, Shower went 3-1 on the mound.

A partnership between local disc golfers and Polk County’s Parks and Natural Resources planning staff was recently awarded for its collaboration in creating a new disc golf course at Loyce E. Harpe Park, in Mulberry.

The Florida High School Athletic Association released the pause button last Friday and finalized a start date for the upcoming fall sports season.

Heading into her senior year at George Jenkins High School, Alicia Ruiz’s accomplishments separate as one of the top track and cross country runners in the state.

The All Saints Academy Saints are set to participate in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference’s new developmental football league this fall.

When the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors holds a much-anticipated meeting later this week at a hotel in Gainesville, a total of five months will have passed without sanctioned athletic competition.

The Florida Collegiate Summer League’s 2020 baseball season concluded last Friday with the Sanford River Rats defeating the host Leesburg Lightning 6-3 at Pat Thomas Stadium. Sanford swept the League Championship Series (two games to none) for the fifth title in franchise history.