Dogie football game cancelled, volleyball postponed
Suspension of team activities continues while player remains in COVID-19 testing protocol
In a press release issue at 9:30 a.m. on Friday morning, Weston County School District #1 Superintendent Brad LaCroix announced that evening’s scheduled varsity football game in Buffalo has been cancelled. The news follows an announcement on Thursday afternoon by WCSD #1 that the team had cancelled practice for the second time this week when a player was placed in the COVID-19 testing protocol. Practice was also cancelled on Tuesday when the district was notified that an opposing player from the team's Week 1 opponent had tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to the release, LaCroix said the decision was made to cancel the contest because the suspension of football team activities continues, and he said that will be the case until more is known about the team’s potential exposure.
“We suspended team activities immediately when a member of the team went into the protocol, and had hoped we would have information this morning from health officials that would allow us to lift that suspension and play tonight’s game. We were able to buy a little time last night, but we simply had to make a ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ decision this morning. Without new information from health officials, we can’t justify lifting the suspension yet and sadly have to cancel tonight’s game out of caution. The health and well-being of our players and their families - both here and in Buffalo - has to be our first priority, and we just don’t have enough information at this time to go ahead and play tonight,” LaCroix said.
The potential exposure of the football team is not impacting classes or any other activities at this point.
"Although they are in protocol, there has not been a confirmed positive coronavirus test of an NHS football team member at this point, and classes continue as scheduled in Weston County School District #1. No other suspensions or cancellations have been announced for any other teams or groups at Newcastle High School, and except for tonight’s football game, it is intended that all other activities planned for this weekend will be held as scheduled," the press release concluded.
UPDATE: Later on Friday, WCSD #1 announced that Newcastle High School and Wright High School had mutually agreed to postpone high school volleyball matches scheduled for Saturday, September 5 in the Dogie Dome in Newcastle as a result of the report that a member of the NHS student body was in the COVID-19 testing protocol. No make-up date was announced.