Katy reschedules game after positive test
Katy stopped football activities and rescheduled a District 19-6A game because of a positive COVID-19 test within its program.
Katy ISD said in a statement Thursday the stoppage allows the district’s emergency management team sufficient time to conduct contact tracing and ensure student athletes and staff are cleared to continue practicing and preparing for upcoming competitions.
The game against Tompkins is now rescheduled for 11a.m. Nov. 27 at Legacy Stadium. The game between the undefeated foes originally was set for Thursday, but with discovery of a positive case Wednesday, the sub-varsity games between the schools were canceled while the varsity contest initially changed to 11 a.m. Saturday. Tickets for the originally scheduled game between Katy and Tompkins will be honored on Nov. 27.
As of Thursday, Katy’s district game against Mayde Creek next week is not in jeopardy
It is the latest example of COVID-19 altering the Texas high school football schedule, especially with the state’s power programs.
An anticipated game between Dallas-Fort Worth powers Southlake Carroll and Denton Guyer, set to air on ESPN2, was canceled this week because of a positive case.
Five-time state champion Allen canceled last week’s non-district game against Cedar Hill and this week’s against Tyler Legacy because of positive cases within the program. Allen has not played since hosting Humble ISD’s Atascocita on Oct. 2 and currently will not play until Oct. 30 against McKinney Boyd.
Elsewhere in Dallas, 11 COVID-19 cases wiped out Highland Park’s first two games of 2020. The Scots won last week’s season opener against Coppell.
The Houston area is dealing with similar issues. Dickinson’s last two District 24-6A games against Clear Falls and Clear Creek are postponed because of positive cases.
The Gators have played one game — a non-district affair against Ridge Point on Oct. 2 — and do not play until Oct. 23 against Brazoswood.
Klein Oak High School reported 31 positive cases on its campus last week and a non-district game against Atascocita subsequently was canceled. Klein Oak returned to the field against Klein Forest on Thursday.
Bellaire will be one of the last teams in the Houston area to play when it takes on Lamar on Oct. 24. The Cardinals’ non-district game against Dobie was canceled and district games against Westside and Heights were rescheduled for Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, respectively.
Forfeitures because of positive cases are in play with the state’s Class 4A and smaller teams, which started the regular season a month earlier than 6A and 5A schools in August.
Elkhart forfeited its last two District 9-3A Division I games against Diboll and Coldspring because of positive cases within the program.
Language within this district executive committee’s rules states if a school cannot field a team because of COVID-19 or refuses to do so, the contest is a forfeiture.
Elkhart could have fielded sub-varsity players for the varsity games. Instead, Coldspring and Diboll are awarded15 points apiece toward the differential concerning any possible tiebreakers at season’s end, while Elkhart loses 15 points for each game.