Lebanon suspends football program after player and coach test positive

The Lebanon City Schools suspended its football program after learning a coach and player tested positive for COVID-19.

“This weekend, the Lebanon City Schools were contacted by a player and coach who tested positive for COVID-19,” Superintendent Todd Yohey said in a news release Monday morning.

“After contact tracing was completed today, the district has suspended its 7-12 football program until further notice. Some players and several coaches were exposed to the virus.

All of those exposed have been contacted and quarantined. The football team is expected to resume practice prior to the first football game scheduled for Aug. 28.”

In late July, a Wayne High School football player tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the athletic department to cancel all football program activities until the end of the month.

On July 31, the football team was to be permitted to return if they remained asymptomatic.

“Though a (coronavirus) test is not required, we encourage all members to have a test so they can have certainty of their medical situation,” Athletic Director Nate Baker said in a press release.

Baker also asked that the Huber Heights community do everything to isolate at home and wear a mask when in public.

“This is the only way we will be able to help flatten the curve and have the possibility of getting back to a healthy environment for fall sports,” the statement said.

It was unclear if Wayne had returned to practice.

In Lebanon, the problem boiled down to a shortage of credentialed and trained coaches not in quarantine as a result of the contact tracing, Yohey said.

There were enough players still cleared to practice.

“We have too many coaches that are quarantined. We cannot safely conduct practice,” Yohey said Monday.

Still the Lebanon teams are hoping to be ready for the Aug. 28 season kick-off, if permitted by the state, Yohey added.