ADVERTISEMENT

Fort Hill Football in quarantine

TDHelmick

Hall of Fame Poster
May 29, 2001
6,736
2,837
113
JV
The Fort Hill JV home game with Southern Garrett set for tomorrow (Wednesday, Sep 22) has been cancelled due to players in COVID quarantine. The Fort Hill JV game with Hollidaysburg set for Monday Sep 27 has now been moved to Wednesday Sep 29. The JV team will be out of quarantine Monday so I was told.

VARSITY
The Fort Hill varsity football team is also in quarantine after one of the Southern Garrett players that played against them Saturday afternoon tested positive. I'm told they will likely travel to play the varsity game at Hollidaysburg Friday night with a large chunk of players missing while bringing up some JV players. In short, the players that are vaccinated do not have to quarantine. I have no idea how you piece together a team with JV players in 3 days but it sounds like kids just want to play a game regardless of wins and losses. From that angle I say go for it, let the kids have their fun (at least those that got vaccinated). From a competition won/loss standpoint - the game is irrelevant.

The Southern Garrett varsity football game at Pendleton County this Friday has been cancelled for the same reasons. Southern Garrett has also cancelled next week's home game against Albert Gallatin.

My main issue is the playoff system. Just cancel it and let teams play a full schedule up until Dec. 4 with whomever they wish to schedule. Declaring a state champion through COVID forfeits is not a playoff system.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JONGO
Declaring a state champion through COVID forfeits is not a playoff system.

Been there
Done That
WV 2020
Yes, and I emphatically made this clear when I got my chance to talk with the MPSSAA. If the playoffs start taking hits due to COVID then drop them altogether. REPEAT: Just allow teams to schedule whomever they want all the way through Dec. 4. This is about playing games, not winning titles. And if that makes you feel bad I can tell you that's what private school in MD have to do. It's what public schools did for 60 years in MD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OneRing
Yes, and I emphatically made this clear when I got my chance to talk with the MPSSAA. If the playoffs start taking hits due to COVID then drop them altogether. REPEAT: Just allow teams to schedule whomever they want all the way through Dec. 4. This is about playing games, not winning titles. And if that makes you feel bad I can tell you that's what private school in MD have to do. It's what public schools did for 60 years in MD.
Quit crying and just worry about your own crap.
 
Since the Fort Hill players were "exposed" on Saturday, shouldn't they be able to get a COVID test today or tomorrow and then be cleared to play on Friday with a negative result? Seems like each school system, and Health Department, is handling things differently which is complicating matters even further.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JONGO
JV
The Fort Hill JV home game with Southern Garrett set for tomorrow (Wednesday, Sep 22) has been cancelled due to players in COVID quarantine. The Fort Hill JV game with Hollidaysburg set for Monday Sep 27 has now been moved to Wednesday Sep 29. The JV team will be out of quarantine Monday so I was told.

VARSITY
The Fort Hill varsity football team is also in quarantine after one of the Southern Garrett players that played against them Saturday afternoon tested positive. I'm told they will likely travel to play the varsity game at Hollidaysburg Friday night with a large chunk of players missing while bringing up some JV players. In short, the players that are vaccinated do not have to quarantine. I have no idea how you piece together a team with JV players in 3 days but it sounds like kids just want to play a game regardless of wins and losses. From that angle I say go for it, let the kids have their fun (at least those that got vaccinated). From a competition won/loss standpoint - the game is irrelevant.

The Southern Garrett varsity football game at Pendleton County this Friday has been cancelled for the same reasons. Southern Garrett has also cancelled next week's home game against Albert Gallatin.

My main issue is the playoff system. Just cancel it and let teams play a full schedule up until Dec. 4 with whomever they wish to schedule. Declaring a state champion through COVID forfeits is not a playoff system.
I never knew that participation in the playoffs was mandatory. It sounds like you are saying FH would need special permission to not participate. If FH wants to "play a full schedule with whoever they wish to schedule" what is stopping them from doing that? The last I remember you talking about the MPSSAA and the scheduling issues was that they won't get involved in it and they won't even make teams in a region play each other, so did that change?
 
Since the Fort Hill players were "exposed" on Saturday, shouldn't they be able to get a COVID test today or tomorrow and then be cleared to play on Friday with a negative result? Seems like each school system, and Health Department, is handling things differently which is complicating matters even further.
Different counties, Different rules
In Allegany County - if contact tracing is within 6 feet for 15 minute exposure it's a 10 day quarantine if you are unvaxed. No quarantine if vaxed and symptom free. Tests not required.

The hideous nature of these protocol interpretations is that the FH line of scimmage has to quarantine because the varsity player for Southern who tested positive is a linemen. But the skill positions do not because the decision makers came to some conclusion that they were not exposed to that lineman for 15 minutes. Hahaha. So FH pretty much lost their entire starting line from TE to OT for this week. Should be interesting. You are going to see JV players and possibly a running back or two try to play the offensive line with 2 days practice. Kudos to the coaches for not caring so much about wins and losses but making sure kids can play a game. There is so much more to these stories it's mind boggling.
 
Last edited:
I never knew that participation in the playoffs was mandatory. It sounds like you are saying FH would need special permission to not participate. If FH wants to "play a full schedule with whoever they wish to schedule" what is stopping them from doing that? The last I remember you talking about the MPSSAA and the scheduling issues was that they won't get involved in it and they won't even make teams in a region play each other, so did that change?
Playoffs are never mandatory. Any team can withdraw any year. But they cannot schedule games past Nov. 1.

Anything I have discussed as MPSSAA better options through the years is not the same in this COVID situation. I say no playoffs this year...let every team schedule whomever they want up through Dec. 4. I had a few parents say that's not fair because their sons worked hard to earn the right to a state championship. I agree, but the alternative is your son may likely have to forfeit the first round or 2nd round of the playoffs because of COVID and is eliminated. So your son's last game is a forfeit.

You cannot declare a champion in a system determined by COVID forfeits.
 
Playoffs are never mandatory. Any team can withdraw any year. But they cannot schedule games past Nov. 1.

Anything I have discussed as MPSSAA better options through the years is not the same in this COVID situation. I say no playoffs this year...let every team schedule whomever they want up through Dec. 4. I had a few parents say that's not fair because their sons worked hard to earn the right to a state championship. I agree, but the alternative is your son may likely have to forfeit the first round or 2nd round of the playoffs because of COVID and is eliminated. So your son's last game is a forfeit.

You cannot declare a champion in a system determined by COVID forfeits.

I get what you're saying, but as a coach of a Spring sport, I know the kids want at least a chance to compete in a playoff situation. When the MPSSAA allowed playoffs last Spring, our last 6 games were removed from the schedule to accommodate playoffs. Our kids didn't care, they wanted the opportunity to play for a championship. If there are no fall playoffs this year, there will be graduating seniors that will have never had the chance to compete in a high school playoff game. If I'm that kid, I'm willing to take my chances.

Not to mention that Maryland currently has the lowest case rate of any state and continues to be one of the most vaccinated states in the country. And if you look at how many games statewide have been played vs. those that have been forfeited, the numbers aren't even close. There would be absolutely no justifiable reason at this point for the MPSSAA to say no playoffs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JONGO and TDHelmick
I get what you're saying, but as a coach of a Spring sport, I know the kids want at least a chance to compete in a playoff situation. When the MPSSAA allowed playoffs last Spring, our last 6 games were removed from the schedule to accommodate playoffs. Our kids didn't care, they wanted the opportunity to play for a championship. If there are no fall playoffs this year, there will be graduating seniors that will have never had the chance to compete in a high school playoff game. If I'm that kid, I'm willing to take my chances.

Not to mention that Maryland currently has the lowest case rate of any state and continues to be one of the most vaccinated states in the country. And if you look at how many games statewide have been played vs. those that have been forfeited, the numbers aren't even close. There would be absolutely no justifiable reason at this point for the MPSSAA to say no playoffs.
As COVID dictates is the key. So if COVID is forcing cancellations in the playoffs, you are just handing out a trophy to whoever doesn't have COVID. That is not a champion.

For example, if you are telling me that Urbana is the state champion because they beat Woodlawn in the 2nd round and that's it because every other game was a forfeit win, then that is not a state championship. And that is exactly what happened in WV last year when cases sky rocketed. South Charleston will go down as the Class AAA state champs because they won a single game in the 2nd round.

But if we are talking about fairness, then the kids that had to forfeit their last game is about as unfair as it gets. When they could have played more games without a playoff system.

But I share your thoughts too Lancer. I love playoff time. Here's to having a playoff this year with no covid interference - fingers crossed.
 
Last edited:
JV
The Fort Hill JV home game with Southern Garrett set for tomorrow (Wednesday, Sep 22) has been cancelled due to players in COVID quarantine. The Fort Hill JV game with Hollidaysburg set for Monday Sep 27 has now been moved to Wednesday Sep 29. The JV team will be out of quarantine Monday so I was told.

VARSITY
The Fort Hill varsity football team is also in quarantine after one of the Southern Garrett players that played against them Saturday afternoon tested positive. I'm told they will likely travel to play the varsity game at Hollidaysburg Friday night with a large chunk of players missing while bringing up some JV players. In short, the players that are vaccinated do not have to quarantine. I have no idea how you piece together a team with JV players in 3 days but it sounds like kids just want to play a game regardless of wins and losses. From that angle I say go for it, let the kids have their fun (at least those that got vaccinated). From a competition won/loss standpoint - the game is irrelevant.

The Southern Garrett varsity football game at Pendleton County this Friday has been cancelled for the same reasons. Southern Garrett has also cancelled next week's home game against Albert Gallatin.

My main issue is the playoff system. Just cancel it and let teams play a full schedule up until Dec. 4 with whomever they wish to schedule. Declaring a state champion through COVID forfeits is not a playoff system.
Southern Missing 2 games is probably a blessing so they will only be 0-8. Sad state of affairs from what I hear from friends up there in Oakland. Head Coach is still trying to tune in Todd on his head set rather than trying to coach! Can't believe that there isn't a public demand for a Coaching Change!
 
ADVERTISEMENT