Rivalry game canceled again as pandemic continues to disrupt high school sports
For the second time this season, the highly anticipated high school football game between Frederick Douglass and Scott County has been called off, this time for a reported COVID-19 contact among the Cardinals leading into the last two weeks of the regular season.
Scott County Coach Jim McKee informed players and parents of the decision to suspend practice and games Tuesday evening via a Zoom call, according to the Georgetown News-Graphic.
“Our focus right now is number one, the health and safety of our players and our staff,” McKee told the News-Graphic. “Number two, we are hopeful of a potential return to practice and the ability to play in the first round of the playoffs.”
Friday’s cancellation comes after an earlier postponement of this Class 5A, District 6 game between Associated Press poll No. 3 Douglass and No. 7 Scott County, scheduled for Sept. 26. During that time, Scott County schools were canceling matchups in several sports with any team who was from a county in “red” status according to the state’s coronavirus incidence map.
Fayette County has since been in a less severe “orange” status over the past two weeks. Scott County briefly entered “red” status on Monday before returning to “orange.” Over the course of the regular season, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association has recommended — but not required — teams in “red” counties shutter their sports teams. Many teams played on despite being red, but many other teams declined to play them, causing some scheduling mayhem each week.
The KHSAA has said since there is no statewide ban on teams from “red” counties playing sports, every team must make accommodations to play those teams in the postseason or pull out of the postseason themselves.
Dozens of games have been canceled over “red” status issues and, sometimes, actual cases or contacts on teams. Last week, a COVID-19 case on one team prompted the cancellation of two Lexington games involving Henry Clay, Lafayette, Tates Creek and Paul Laurence Dunbar. Every team but Henry Clay is set to resume this week.
Last week, Henderson County’s boys’ soccer team reported a COVID-19 contact among its players and had to forfeit its spot in the KHSAA Boys’ State Soccer Tournament after winning the 2nd Region title.
Also last week, Jefferson County Public Schools decided its football teams would not play this week as Jefferson went into a “red” status. A decision about next week is expected Thursday. Jefferson County has said it will allow its teams to participate in the postseason, regardless.
On Tuesday, Garrard County announced it was ending its football season entirely due to COVID-19 issues. A letter from school officials stated they did not feel there would be sufficient time after the team cleared local health protocols to prepare for the postseason.
Scott County Athletic Director Steve Helton, said Wednesday the Cardinals “look forward to the playoffs,” once their quarantine has ended.
Playoff seeding
Due to a quirk in how the KHSAA has decided to resolve district seeding issues caused by the pandemic, Scott County will be the 6th District’s top seed when it gets there, which means it will host the first two playoff games it participates in.
Since the Douglass-Scott County game cannot be played before the end of the regular season, Scott County, which currently holds a higher KHSAA Ratings Percentage Index value than the Broncos, would be credited as “winning” that game for seeding purposes. It does not get a win in the standings.
Scott County ranks second in Class 5A’s RPI, and it will be tough for No. 8 Douglass to make up ground on the undefeated Cardinals even if it can schedule a replacement game on Friday. Douglass swept Scott County in last season’s two meetings.
Douglass has wrapped up the district’s No. 2 seed, meaning if both teams won their first-round playoff games, Douglass would have to go to the Birds Nest for the 6th District championship game.
Volleyball venue change
The KHSAA decided Tuesday to move its volleyball state quarterfinals, semifinals and finals to George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester next week due to the current “red” COVID-19 status of Jefferson County, home of originally scheduled host Valley High School.
“Valley High School has done a tremendous job hosting this event for the last eight years, but we could not in good conscience leave the tournament in that county and force so many schools and school systems to potentially make the decision not to send their team to our event given the existing recommendations,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “With that said, we look forward to welcoming the eight quarterfinalist teams to a beautiful facility at GRC and we appreciate the administration in both of these school systems working with us to make this happen on such short notice.
As a pandemic precaution this season, first-round games in the state tournament will be held at regional sites rather than the main venue. The 11th Region champion is set to host the 13th Region’s champion on Monday. Those berths will be decided this week.
