DeLand on pause after assistant tests positive for COVID

DeLand High School has shut down football practice for two weeks and canceled its seasonopening game against rival Seminole after an assistant coach tested positive for COVID-19.

Bulldogs athletic director Lance Jenkins said the school learned of the infection on Wednesday morning.

“Our head coach [Steve Allen] notified our administration immediately,” Jenkins said. “We followed protocols and swiftly removed everybody from his group off campus for 14 days. It was less than 20 players, but it’s our entire coaching staff.”

DeLand was scheduled to hold its first workouts with helmets on Thursday to begin the acclimatization period that is required by the Florida High School Athletic Association before teams can don shoulder pads and other equipment. The Bulldogs will not resume practice until Sept. 16.

That forced cancellation of the home game vs. Seminole, which was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18. A Sept. 25 home game against Deltona is now set as the opener in a six-game DeLand schedule.

“Our [Volusia County] district is being as cautious as we can,” Jenkins said. “The district and health department advised us to have everybody quarantined for 14 days.”

Seminole coach Eric Lodge said Thursday that his school was close to lining up another opening game opponent to replace DeLand.

In other scheduling news, the season-opening Jones at Bishop Moore game has been moved from Friday, Sept. 18 to Thursday, Sept. 17. And Lyman announced a schedule that starts with a Sept. 17 home opener against Southwest Florida power Venice. The Indians were a 2017 state champion and compiled a 58-8 record over the past five years.