SPORTS BRIEFs
Delta cancels football opener due to COVID-19
The Delta Eagles football program won’t be playing its season-opening game against Muncie Central on Aug. 21 due to COVID-19.
On Friday, Aug. 7, a Delta football player tested positive for coronavirus, as reported by The Star Press on Tuesday. Following the positive test, 153 students, including the entire football team and five football coaches were forced to quarantine.
Delta is scheduled to return to school on Wednesday, Aug. 19. However, the time frame and the team’s quarantine will prevent the Eagles from accumulating the minimum number of practices needed to compete on opening night against Muncie Central.
The game was canceled as a result.
In accordance to IHSAA bylaws, if any student-athlete misses more than 10 straight regularly scheduled practices under direct supervision of the coaching staff, the competitor must log six practices before the day of the next contest. The IHSAA COVID-19 Resource Center that was released on Aug. 5 does not waive the IHSAA’s practice rules regardless if it is a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Delta is in line to resume competition on Aug. 28 against Eastbrook once the football team has reached the IHSAA’s practice requirements.
Warren Central-Center Grove football game canceled
On Tuesday, Marion County health director Virginia Caine told reporters at the IndyStar, she was “very comfortable giving the green light for football to start in Marion County.”
On the same day, Center Grove athletic director Jon Zwitt announced its season-opening football game with Warren Central had been canceled due to positive cases with COVID-19 among the Warriors.
According to the IndyStar, Zwitt stated, “Due to the amount of players and coaches that Warren Central has in quarantine, the Warren Central-Center Grove games have been canceled.”
The cancellation includes all three levels of football, including the varsity, junior varsity and freshmen teams.
