Kiski Area forced to postpone football opener after covid-19 exposure

By: Greg Macafee And Teghan Simonton
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 | 4:06 PM

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Kiski Area has joined the list of WPIAL football programs postponing their first game of the season.

The Cavaliers postponed their Sept. 11 game against Penn Hills on Tuesday afternoon after reporting they identified a coronavirus exposure and suspended football activities until Sept. 10. Kiski Area also canceled its preseason scrimmage against Franklin Regional, which was set for Saturday, and pushed back its second game of the season against Connellsville from Friday, Sept. 18 to Monday, Sept. 21.

Effective immediately, the Kiski Area School District is suspending all Varsity and JV football activities due to an identified COVID exposure. We will resume normal football related activities on Thursday September 10.

— Kiski Area Football (@kiskifootball) September 1, 2020

The postponement was in accordance with PIAA requirements for football teams to have five consecutive days of heat acclimatization and then 10 practices before their first game of the season. Because of canceling football activities until Sept. 10, Kiski Area won’t be able to meet those thresholds before their matchup with Penn Hills. Postponing their game against Connellsville three days allows the Cavaliers to meet those requirements.

Tim Scott, superintendent of the district, said the suspension is discouraging after an entire summer of preparation, but he’s confident the athletic staff will find a way to “make up” for the lost practice and games that were scheduled.

“I just hope that we can handle this and salvage it and move forward,” he said.

He encouraged the affected athletes and their families to stay positive and know they are supported.

Seneca Valley and Mt. Lebanon also were required to pause preseason workouts since the beginning of heat acclimatization week because of covid-19 exposures.

Seneca Valley had to cancel a preseason scrimmage and its first game against North Allegheny. Mt. Lebanon was set to restart practices Tuesday and could scrimmage another team Sept. 11 or 12 but is set to play its first game Sept. 18 against Canon-McMillan.

Peters Township also had to cancel its preseason scrimmage against the Big Macs and a Week 1 matchup with South Fayette after its school temporarily closed because of covid-19 cases.

On Aug. 24, the WPIAL board declared games lost to covid-19 shutdowns will count as “no contest” rather than a forfeit.

Two of the teams whose openers were called off because their opponents had to cancel have linked up to play a Week 1 game. Penn Hills will visit North Allegheny on Sept. 11.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter at greg_macafee. Teghan Simonton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Teghan at 724-226-4680, via email at tsimonton@triblive.com or via Twitter @teghan_simonton.

Tags: Kiski Area