Tolman-WW game canceled due to quarantine
Wizards had player test positive for COVID on Thursday
PAWTUCKET – The third installment featuring a head coach taking on his former team will have to wait.
The West Warwick High School football team will miss its second straight game after a player from the program tested positive for COVID-19. The Wizards were slated to face Tolman High this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Scituate High School. On Tuesday afternoon, the game was officially canceled.
West Warwick learned of the positive test last Thursday, two days before the Wizards were slated to face Moses Brown. The 10day quarantine period means that all football operations (games/practices) are postponed until Monday, April 12.
“It’s tough on the players, tough on the coaches, and tough on the parents,” said West Warwick head coach Dave Caito. “You tell the kids they have to condition on their own, but they have so many distractions when they’re home. Since they’re on quarantine, they can’t get together to work out.”
Per the RIIL standings, Moses Brown was awarded a 2-0 win over West Warwick. That means the Wizards will carry an 0-2 record in Division II-A into their next scheduled game – Friday, April 16 at Mount Pleasant.
Saturday was supposed to mark the third meeting between the Wizards and Tigers since Caito left Tolman to take over the football program at West Warwick. Caito spent 13 seasons at Tolman (2002-14). Current Tolman head coach Jason DeLawrence was an assistant for a portion of Caito’s run with the Tigers.
If you’re keeping score, Tolman and West Warwick are 1-1 with Caito and DeLawrence on their respective sidelines.
For Tolman, the news of not playing West Warwick this coming weekend was tough to hear. The Tigers were looking forward to getting back on track after dropping a 33-7 final to St. Raphael last Saturday.
If the right situation presents itself, the Tigers (1-1, Division II-A) would be open to taking the field either Friday or Saturday.
“If nothing comes up, we’ll use it as a bye to get better and get healthy,” said DeLawrence during Tuesday’s practice at Coutu Memorial Field. “I was hoping we would be able to go unscathed, but very few teams have.”
On the schedule, Tolman’s next league game is Saturday, April 17 against Lincoln at Max Read Field.
It’s been confirmed that Burrillville High’s Division I opener will take place on campus at Alumni Field. Originally, the Broncos were planning to head to Scituate High for Saturday’s game against East Providence. On Monday, Burrillville Superintendent Michael Sollitto deemed that Alumni Field was safe and playable after a long winter.
“Luckily, it has been relatively dry the last few weeks and the grassroots seem to have taken pretty well,” said Sollitto.
Saturday’s game between the Broncos and Townies kicks off at noon. Sollitto says it’s looking good as far as Burrillville hosting Cumberland on Saturday, April 24.
“We always want to play a home game on our home field, when possible,” said Sollitto.