COVID-19 ends Friendswood’s postseason run
Because of COVID-19 issues within the Friendswood High School girls basketball program, the Lady Mustangs cannot play Wednesday’s scheduled third-round Class 5A playoff game against Richmond Foster, which will advance to the regional semifinals.
“The University Interscholastic League specifically does not call it a forfeit, but it does set up a bye to the next round for Foster,” said Robert Koopmann, director of athletics for the Friendswood Independent School District. “This situation results from a UIL policy and our FISD COVID policy relating to positive tests within our girls basketball program, which forces us to cancel the playoff game with Foster.”
The teams had been scheduled to play at Shadow Creek High School.
Now, Foster awaits the Kingwood Park-College Station winner in the Class 5A Region III semifinals.
Friendswood ends its season at 19-4 after playoff victories over Crosby and Shadow Creek. The Lady Mustangs had won three consecutive games and nine of their last 10.
“Coach (Daron) Scott just left my office,” Koopman said Tuesday. “He’s heartbroken, and so are his players. It’s totally disappointing not to be able to compete when you have the opportunity.”
Koopmann said the COVID-19 situation was discovered Monday and decisions were made the next morning.
“COVID — you can go all the way back to the disappointment last spring with the cancellation of all the sports. It’s been one disappointment after another,” Koopmann said. “We’re not dealing with anything the entire state isn’t dealing with.”
This is not the first instance in which the virus prematurely ended a team’s season in the Houston area. The Elkins and George Ranch football teams couldn’t play its respective first-round playoff games because of COVID-19 outbreaks.
The UIL’s policy for COVID-19 disruptions in the football playoffs is similar for basketball.
The UIL’s basketball playoff handbook states through state semifinal playoff rounds, if one team can play and the other cannot because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the team that can play will advance to the next round.
If both teams cannot play over COVID-19 disruptions, a bye will be placed on the bracket.
For the state title game, if one or both teams cannot play because of an outbreak, teams will be allowed to reschedule games at a site determined by both schools. The deadline to complete those games is April 10.
Under no circumstance will teams previously eliminated from the postseason will advance.