Edgewater COVID-19 test forces cancelation of Friday football game vs. Wekiva
Positive COVID-19 testing has hit Orlando high school football once again.
A Tuesday announcement by Orange County Public Schools stated that two positive tests within the Edgewater football program have forced the cancellation of the Eagles' Friday night game at Wekiva.
In the voicemail, sent to all OCPS families just before 6 p.m., Edgewater principal Mark Shannoff said:
“Due to positive COVID-19 cases and quarantines the football game scheduled for Friday against Wekiva High School has been canceled,” Shannoff said. "This decision was made in consultation with the Florida Department of Health and Orange County. There were two positive COVID-19 cases that resulted in the quarantine of the entire team, along with a coach and student trainers and managers.
“All individuals and parents of students who have been identified as having been in close contact with a positive case have been notified and are receiving a letter from the Department of Health requiring a 14-day quarantine.”
Shannoff noted the decision does not impact the rest of the student body because football players have been separated from other students.
Edgewater (1-1), last season’s Class 7A state runner-up, is ranked No. 2 in the Sentinel Super 16 area rankings behind Apopka. Wekiva (1-1) is ranked No. 11.
An Aug. 28 OCPS directive required that players must either stay home for distance learning during the school day or attend online classes on campus with a “cohort group” that includes only teammates.
It is unknown if the issue will impact Edgewater’s Oct. 9 home game against Timber Creek.
The Eagles are the second Orlando team hit by confirmed cases since OCPS started testing two weeks ago. Evans High had its first two games — against West Orange and Jones — canceled because of positive tests.
Olympia’s season opening game was canceled after its campus was closed due to COVID-19 cases in the student body. None of those positives involved football players and the Titans were able to play last week.
Evans will play its first game Monday at Ocoee at 7 p.m.
Winter Park’s team, which played Edgewater last Friday night, is scheduled to be tested Wednesday.
Buddy Collings and Leslie Postal contributed to this report.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Reporter Chris Hays can be reached by email at chays@orlandosentinel.com
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