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COVID cases at Muncie Central affect football season

MUNCIE, Ind. (NewsLink)- One third of Muncie Central’s football season has been lost because of COVID-19 outbreaks all over East Central Indiana high schools. The Bearcats’ home opener was canceled after Delta High School had an outbreak of their own.

Since then, Muncie Central has a record of 2-1, losing to Yorktown but then going on a two-game win streak, beating Anderson and Richmond. In Central’s most recent game against Richmond, the offense had a total of 548 yards, the most in the past two seasons.

On Sept. 9, two kids on the Muncie Central football team tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 37 people, 32 being players and five being coaches, were identified as close contacts to the students.

“So, we had to figure out who was at practice that night and then we have to contact trace to that. The coach has to let us know who was in close contact with each other, six feet for 15 minutes or better and that’s where we came up with the list of 37 people,” Muncie Central Athletic Director Tom Lyon said.

The Bearcats have canceled its next two football games at Arsenal Tech and versus Harrison. The 14-day quarantine period is coming to an end this Thursday and the team will be resuming practice that day.

Central’s first game back will be against Marion High School on Friday night.

For more information, contact the author at jdzweigel@bsu.edu.