Winter sports practices were scheduled to start on November 20, but that timeline has been pushed back for Bethlehem Area School District sports programs.

The district announced on Tuesday night that winter sports are suspended until January 11, 2021, ending any speculation before practices hit full swing before the holidays.

With COVID cases continuing to rise, it meant the halt of winter sports, for now.

“In response to recommendations from the Bethlehem Health Bureau and our health care partners at St. Luke’s University Health Network, the Bethlehem Area School District has made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend winter athletic activities,” the school district statement said. “This includes practices and competitions, effective [Friday] through Jan. 11.

“Bethlehem Area School District will seek guidance from the Bethlehem Health Bureau and The St. Luke’s University Health Network and reevaluate the status of its winter sports programming on or after January 11th, 2021.”

That means Liberty and Freedom supporters will get some last-minute action over the next week before sports shut down, as the Patriots will play Nazareth at Whitehall Friday night in the District 11 6A football championship.

Liberty’s football team will play at Parkland on Friday night too.

The annual Liberty-Freedom rivalry contest is still on for next Wednesday (11/25) as well, a 1:30 p.m. kickoff at BASD Stadium before the sports calendar takes a break.

Practices across the region are slated to take place on Friday, as the East Penn Conference was scheduled to open their winter season on December 15 with basketball and swimming. Wrestling was set to start a day later on December 16.