A planned varsity football game between Anoka and Champlin Park has been canceled due to a "COVID-19 related investigation," with the same thing happened to the game between Buffalo Hector-Lake-Stewart and Red Rock Central.

The announcement concerning Anoka-Champlin Park was made Friday morning, just hours before the teams were due to take to the field for the 3:30 p.m. start.

Not only is that game off, but all lower level games planned for this weekend between Anoka and Champlin Park high schools have also been canceled.

Few details of the nature of the investigation have been revealed, but the Anoka-Hennepin School District said that "all known close contacts have been identified."

It's likely that the COVID-19 investigation relates to Anoka High School, given that Champlin Park will now play St. Michael-Albertville instead at 4 p.m.

"Any additional schedule changes for ninth-grade, 10th-grade and junior varsity games will be made at a later date," the school district said.

The same thing has happened in the Buffalo-Red Rock game, with the Buffalo school announcing on Friday: "Due to Covid related concerns from the opposing team and scheduling unfortunately we need to cancel tonight's Football game. Homecoming Coronation will be moved to Tuesday night at the Volleyball Game with details to come later."

Figures released by state officials this week found that there are 19 counties across the state that are now above the threshold where 100% distance learning is recommended, compared to just one county at the start of the school year.

It comes amid surging COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the state, with rural areas now being particularly hard hit compared to the metro.