Ohio high school sports received a bit of clarity during Gov. Mike DeWine’s press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

Contact sports such as soccer and football can continue to practice and work toward a season, but they’re still unable to compete against other schools. The non-contact sport list actually grew as cross country has been shifted to it.

DeWine, however, was still non-committal to contact sports. He issued no definitive date or possible date that the restrictions for football and soccer might be lifted.

“I share your frustration, but we have to see where COVID-19 is (in a few weeks),” DeWine said.

“We have provided the continuation of practice, but what’s not done is the final go ahead as far as fall sports stand. We want to get closer (to the start date of the season) in time. We don’t know what exactly is going to happen.”

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted clarified that an order from the Ohio Health Department that was announced on Saturday was actually a continuation of an order that was imposed on Saturday, July 4.

“We issued a return competition under very, very strict guidelines,” Husted said. “We know there was some confusion with this.”

Husted pointed out that that order, which mandates testing of athletes, coaches and officials up to 72 hours prior to competition was highly scrutinized publicly and on social media as many believed it simply made high school sports impossible.

“It’s not the case that that (order) represents our plan (for contact sports to resume competition),” Husted said.

“We want student-athletes to return to play. We must accommodate the health situations of athletes, coaches and fans.”

The original order was put in place to give clearance to The Basketball Tournamernt (TBT), which was held at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena for 11 days in July and was broadcast on ESPN.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association on Friday announced in a release that for the contact sports to receive clearance, they had to have approval from the governor’s office, ODH and the stipulation that there would need to be testing removed.

Ohio high schools formally began fall sports practices last Saturday and the golf regular season actually opens today around the Buckeye State. The next starting date is Aug. 21 for volleyball, which is cleared, and soccer.

Last week, the OHSAA informed schools that football and soccer would not have the opportunity to scrimmage because of the order.