MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — While the Trinity football team’s season-opener against Wirt County was allowed to be played under the current WVSSAC rules, despite Monongalia County being in the orange, WCHS said Thursday morning it would not make the trip to Morgantown, citing concerns over COVID-19.
“We were disappointed to learn that the Wirt County superintendent (John McKown) made the decision to prevent the Wirt County High School football team from playing [Thursday’s] game against us, citing the increase in Mon County’s COVID numbers,” Trinity superintendent Michelle Stellato Belt said. “I am heartbroken for my student-athletes on both the football and cheerleading teams for doing everything they could over the last 2 months to prepare for this game while following the guidelines and instructions given to them to maintain safety. Unfortunately, they are subject to the consequences of the decisions made by others.”
Mon County is lingering dangerously close to the red designation, which would stop sports the following day if it reaches the “25 out of 100,000 residents” with positive COVID tests. As of Thursday, the county was at 23.13 out of 100,000. Under that metric, the game between the Warriors and Tigers was still allowed to be played since Mon County was still yellow following last Saturday’s deadline.
If Mon County remains in the orange this Saturday, all high school games and matches will be canceled.
Trinity, in Year 2 of its reboot, went 2-8 last season and were looking to get off to a good start this year under new head coach Chris Simpson.
“We are obviously saddened by the last minute news from Wirt County,” he said. “I have been in contact with their head coach (Jason Hickman) throughout [Thursday] and both teams were looking forward to playing. Neither team is satisfied with the last minute decision. We have done everything in our control and power to follow the guidelines set forth by the WVSSAC. We are at a natural disadvantage because of being in the same county as WVU. With that said, we have still followed the guidelines to ensure our student-athletes are safe and remain safe on our campus and while they compete.”
The Warriors are slated to host Cameron on Sept. 11, but if Mon County remains in the orange at Saturday’s deadline, that game — nor any prep game — will happen next week.
“There is a very real reality that its more than just football at this point. Our student-athletes want a sense of normal in a time of chaos. They are now being stripped of that normalcy even though we followed every guideline. There is a mental toll being placed upon these student-athletes and we can only pray that it will soon be lifted. I am upset the most for my seniors. They have been with us from the beginning and now they have a reality that they might never get to experience Friday night lights their senior season. I pray that isn’t their reality. I pray that isn’t the reality for any student-Athlete throughout our beautiful state or our beloved nation.”
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