Columbus area high school basketball team suspends season due to COVID-19 quarantine
The Harris County High School boys basketball team has suspended its season due to the coronavirus.
All of the team’s players and coaches went into quarantine Tuesday because the Harris County School District received a report Monday that one of the team’s members tested positive for COVID-19, HCSD spokeswoman Rachel Crumbley confirmed in an email to the Ledger-Enquirer.
The Tigers are expected to resume their season Dec. 26, she said. That means they won’t play in the Handley High School Christmas Tournament, scheduled for Dec. 17-18, in Roanoke, Alabama.
Crumbley emphasized this action doesn’t represent the level of infection and exposure throughout HCSD. The district’s COVID-19 report this week “indicates that of the 6,308 faculty, staff and students, the positivity rate is 0.25%,” she said.
Approximately 80% of HCSD students are taking in-person classes, Crumbley said.
Saturday’s game against Troup County was scheduled to be at Harris County, but it was moved to LaGrange to allow for more social distancing because Troup’s gym can seat three times as many spectators, Crumbley said.
The L-E received a complaint from a fan who said, “There was no social distancing or limit on fans.”
Crumbly replied, “As with all of our sporting events this school year, social distancing is required. While we hope spectators socially distance themselves, we have found that isn’t necessarily the case.”
Admission and seating at Harris County’s subsequent games, Crumbley said, will look “different as we work to social distance attendees who are not necessarily socially distancing themselves. As throughout this pandemic, the safety of our students, faculty, staff and community continue to be a top priority.”
COVID-19 has disrupted operations in two other Columbus area school districts this week. The L-E reported Monday that Smiths Station High School stopped conducting in-person classes for the rest of the week, and the Troup County School System will conduct only virtual classes during the week after Christmas break.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 9:48 AM.
