Iola High School football will not compete for the next two weeks due to youths’ exposure to COVID-19 by a player from Wellsville High School who has tested positive to the virus.
The two teams competed last Friday.
All varsity players who suited up for the Mustangs against Wellsville were placed under quarantine through Oct. 2.
That means both this week’s games against Frontenac and the Oct. 2 game at Anderson County have been canceled, as per an order from the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department.
Health Department officials notified the school of the Wellsville student’s diagnosis Wednesday.
“It’s just unfortunate,” USD 257 Superintendent of Schools Stacey Fager told the Register. “I feel horribly for the players, the coaches and the parents.”
Iola isn’t the only school whose schedule has been affected because of COVID.
Schools in Fort Scott, Chanute and Independence have canceled their football games for two weeks because of positive coronavirus cases.
Fager said he was uncertain how the 2020 football season will unfold when it comes to the playoffs.
Friday’s canceled Iola-Frontenac game was to be the Mustangs’ first district contest of the year.
A school’s district record determines its postseason fate.
“Hopefully, we’ll get some more guidance and clarification from KSHSAA,” Fager said.
Iola’s next scheduled game is Oct. 9 at Prairie View.
