GHS picks up Ringgold as nonregion opponent
Positive COVID-19 cases in the Gilmer County School System and subsequent quarantines halted most athletic events at Gilmer High last week.
The most notable matchup that did not take place was last Friday’s annual football rivalry game between Gilmer and Pickens. While the game was on track as of early Wednesday evening, that changed when GHS head coach Paul Standard received a phone call.
“We had a high number of positive cases in the school, and we had a couple of positive cases on the football team that quarantined a large number of our players,” Standard said. “Of our top 18 varsity guys, 68 percent of those players were either positive and/or quarantined the night I canceled the game. It was based on one particular student athlete who became positive on Wednesday.
“We got the word toward the end of practice. At that point, we knew several players who were on the field with us practicing were going to start getting quarantined Thursday because they sat with him in class and ate lunch together. To play a game of any kind would not have been viable from a safety standpoint so we called and canceled the game.”
Gilmer and Pickens do not have any corresponding off weeks over the remainder of the season so the game will not likely take place. The only way they could play is if an upcoming opponent of both Gilmer and Pickens is forced to cancel on the same date.
“They have now let us out of the contract and we’re searching for a game,” Standard said. “They’re searching for a game on one of their open dates.
“The players were disappointed, the community is disappointed and I’m disappointed. Like I told our kids, this is something we had to deal with last year every day. We’re going to be dealing with it this year every day. How we handle it will determine how we end up. I’m a huge believer that how you handle adversity reveals your character. It doesn’t build it, it reveals the character you have and our kids are down and upset.”
The Georgia Department of Public Health altered its quarantine policy last Thursday. Now if a student has been exposed and they have no symptoms they can return to school in a mask as they complete their quarantine.
The bulk of GHS players returned to football practice Monday. Gilmer was able to find an opponent for Thursday, Aug. 26, and will host the Ringgold Tigers at 7 p.m. at Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium.
GHS softball and volleyball did not compete last week as quarantines sidelined varsity players. Softball returns to the field Wednesday at White County, and the Cats will host East Forsyth for a Thursday doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Volleyball will resume its schedule Thursday at Calhoun.