TAMPA, Fla. - Two more Hillsborough County High School football teams won't be playing under the Friday night lights this week because of COVID-19. Several players from Newsome and Durant high schools are now in quarantine following their game against each other Friday.
The district is postponing the upcoming games for the schools because neither school has enough players to field a team.
A spokesperson for Hillsborough County Schools claimed she wasn’t able to release a lot of specific information because of confidentiality, including whether a student-athlete had tested positive for COVID-19, but here’s what we know.
The two teams played Friday. Then, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard, there were two positive cases at Newsome over the weekend. Now both teams have several student-athletes quarantining for 10 to 14 days.
Those who are forced to quarantine must have been in close contact with an infected person for a period of 15 minutes or more.
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A district spokesperson says, other than having two teams in quarantine, the first weekend of high school football went well.
"We really think it's important for these student athletes to be able to go to these games with these safety protocols in place because we do realize that school is about much more than just going into classrooms and getting good grades. There's a social, emotional aspect about it as well," Erin Maloney said.
The district has 29 grade 9-12 high schools. At least four have now been affected by COVID quarantines connected to football.
Hillsborough and Jefferson high schools dealt with similar situations before school started. A student-athlete tested positive, forcing several students and coaches into quarantine. Both teams had to miss at least one game.
Newsome's and Durant’s games that were scheduled for this week will both be rescheduled for October 9.
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