Positive virus test ends SFHS’ season
Demons end shortened year 1-1; Capital will now play Los Lunas on Saturday
Calling it one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do as a head coach, Santa Fe High football coach Andrew Martinez gathered his team Thursday morning and informed them their season was over after one of their own tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Demons (1-1) were slated to play Capital on Friday night at Ivan Head Stadium. Per state health guidelines, all those affiliated with the program must quarantine for at least 10 days. The team’s final game was tentatively scheduled for April 2 or 3.
In a statement issued Thursday afternoon by Santa Fe High, the school said an unidentified student had tested positive for COVID-19 and, “as a result of this exposure, the SFHS Football program will be in recess for the season. There will be no future practices or games for the 2020-21
school year.”
“All the coaches talked to the players and we just told them how happy we were that we just got the season,” Martinez said. “Everyone there had their input on it. The kids were pretty subdued. There were tears. There were tears from our staff and the players.”
Martinez lauded his assistant coaches and school administrators for immediately lending their support to the players, particularly the seniors.
This marks the second coronavirus shutdown for a Santa Fe football team this month. Just 72 hours before is season opener at Raton, St. Michael’s confirmed it had a person within its program test positive. It forced the cancellation of the Horsemen’s first two games.
“You know, we would have been happy with just a scrimmage or even two weeks in pads,” Martinez said. “We got that. We all knew what this could end up like, and like everybody else, we got an opportunity to get out and play and kind of work on future seasons, but right now let’s make sure we take care of each other and take care of our seniors.”
The Demons had at least 12 seniors on the active roster.
“Contact tracing does not indicate this case was contracted from within SFPS,” read Santa Fe High’s statement. “All personal identifying information will remain confidential. All reporting and cleaning protocols are being followed at Santa Fe High School.”
Within an hour of Thursday’s announcement, Capital had already found a new opponent. The Jaguars (2-0) will now host Los Lunas (1-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday. Los Lunas had its regularly scheduled game against Valencia called off, making the Tigers the second straight fill-in opponent on Capital’s schedule. The Jaguars replaced Española Valley with Pojoaque Valley last weekend after Española didn’t have enough players.