When Vermont Gov. Phil Scott gave the OK for fall sports, the Vermont Principals Association made it known that student-athletes who had a medical or behavioral reason for not wearing a facial covering would be allowed to compete without a facemask as long as a health-care provider gave clearance.

The ruling gave some flexibility to the small number of players who couldn’t wear a covering, and it largely went unnoticed in the fall. With competition held outside, a mask slipping below the nose or not being worn didn’t raise too many red flags.

Now, with the move to indoor winter sports, the VPA is still honoring the rule with a blessing from the state government. Not all of the school districts across the Upper Valley are on board, however, citing concern for the spread of COVID-19.

“They don’t have a choice,” VPA associate executive director Bob Johnson said of the situation. “If they are going to play games, they have to play under the state guidance. The thing that I don’t understand (is) we had the mask exemption in the fall, too. This isn’t something new. Schools have known about it right up front. Either you can play with the exemption — the way it is designed — or you just don’t play. It’s your choice.”

A recent example of school districts taking different approaches to the state guidelines was Friday night, when the season opener for the Woodstock and Windsor girls basketball teams was called off because the Wasps had a player with the medical exemption from wearing a mask.

The Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union doesn’t allow any of its teams to play an opposing school featuring a player with a mask exemption. Ultimately, Woodstock was awarded a win by forfeit because its team was ready to play in accordance with state guidelines.

First-year Woodstock athletic director Jack Boymer said he finds himself in a no-win situation. Last week’s game wasn’t canceled because of his girls basketball team, but he understands Windsor is trying to take extra precautions against COVID-19.

Boymer said league commissioners will be in charge of keeping track of what teams have mask exemptions in the future, but for the time being he is informing opposing schools athletic directors at least a week out.

“It’s something that nobody’s had to deal with before,” Boymer said on Tuesday afternoon. “I think everyone’s kind of treading the water in the best way they know how. It’s up to each school at this point. I understand both sides of this issue; it is multi-layered. I think athletic directors have been more willing to say, ‘Let’s play; it’s in the ruling. The VPA wants us to play these games.’ I think (the decisions have) been taken over by more than the superintendents.

“I don’t have a perfect answer. Right now, we’re all searching for one. … It’s not anyone’s fault. Nobody preemptively saw this coming; otherwise, we would’ve probably had more dialogue about it. We talked about procedures and protocols for months ahead of the season; I just don’t think we thought it would be an issue. That’s why last week’s decision was so last-minute.”

The Mid Vermont Christian School girls basketball program has three athletes who don’t wear face coverings when playing because they’ve been medically approved.

Coach Chris Goodwin wants to see the state of Vermont find a middle ground. The Eagles opened up the season last week with a 65-50 victory over Hazen, but now they’ll have a navigate a schedule where some opponents will and won’t want to play them.

“If we come up against a team on our schedule that has a player who has obtained a mask waiver, we are going to play the game,” he said. “If a doctor has recommended the waiver, then we are going to defer to the medical professional and we as a school are going to be comfortable with this decision. If another school administration feels differently, then they are completely within their rights to not play the game.

“It’s just unfortunate that the student-athletes are the ones who will endure the consequences of their decision by forfeiting games.”

The Eagles are scheduled to host Rivendell on Friday, but Raptors athletic director Ross Convertino informed the Valley News the school will “play games only if everyone is wearing a mask.”

Hartford athletic director Jeff Moreno said his school district would not currently allow competition against a team whose players aren’t all wearing masks. The ruling could change, though.

Any game this season in Vermont comes at a premium because of the late start to the schedule.

The largest looming question revolves around state tournament time. What happens when a team with playing restrictions meets an opposing team that has a mask exemption in the quarterfinals?

“I would be very disappointed in that because, again, you know coming into the tournament that’s what the rules are,” Johnson said. “We’re going to ask you coming in that you know what the rules are and it is your intent to follow the rules. But if it did get to a situation where we got to a quarterfinal and a school refused to play, then from our end of it you are going to forfeit a game.”

Pete Nakos can be reached at pnakos@vnews.com.