Muhlenberg, Exeter pause due to COVID concerns

The boys basketball teams at Muhlenberg and Exeter have been shut down due to potential exposure to the coronavirus, the Reading Eagle has learned.

The Muhls won’t play until Feb. 2, at the earliest. They are shut down for 14 days. Athletic director Tim Moyer said the school district is following Center for Disease Control guidelines.

“We’re staying consistent with that, trying to keep everybody as safe as possible,” Moyer said.

The Eagles won’t play until Feb. 3. Exeter’s JV team, which has been kept separate from the varsity squad, can continue to play.

Exeter notified Muhlenberg early Friday that one of its varsity players was exposed to someone who has tested positive. The Muhls played at Exeter Monday.

Exeter also notified Warwick, which it played Tuesday. Berks Catholic, which played Muhlenberg Thursday, also was notified.

The Muhls have been off to a fast start, winning 5-of-6 games. They’ll miss five games during the shutdown.

“It stinks, because the boys had been out for three weeks (in December and early January due to Gov. Tom Wolf’s order),” said Muhls coach Tyrone Nesby. “We’re trying to get a nice rhythm going. Now we’re back on hold.”

Moyer said he is in the process of rescheduling the games expected to be missed.

“It’s kind of a gut punch after a successful run of not being shut down,” said Moyer.

Exeter will miss seven games, including key Berks Conference Division I contests against Wilson, Reading High and Gov. Mifflin. Those will be rescheduled, but it’s possible some of the non-league games may not be made up. Due to the earlier three-week state-wide shutdown, schedules are already jammed.

Oley Valley did not play its first game until Wednesday due to COVID-related shutdowns.