PENDLETON — As high school athletics ramps back up for the first time in 2021, the Pendleton School District is dealing with potential COVID-19 exposures among two of its sports teams.

In a Wednesday, March 3, email, Pendleton Superintendent Chris Fritsch wrote that members of its high school dance and boys soccer teams were potentially exposed to the coronavirus.

“Students and their families have been informed that (Umatilla County Public Health) is currently conducting contact tracing,” he wrote. “Once that is complete, the District will make a determination of the appropriate actions to be taken and the duration of any suspension of activities. At this time all activities associated with both teams have been suspended.”

In an interview, Fritsch said it was still early, but he didn’t anticipate the COVID-19 exposures would affect Pendleton High School’s reopening later this month.