A football in the end zone on March 9.

A football in the end zone on March 9. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost

Three Suffolk high school football teams in League VII are in quarantine this week and will be forced to miss their respective season openers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on local sports schedules.

The Miller Place at Islip game was scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday and is postponed to a date later in the schedule. Mount Sinai at Bayport-Blue Point at 2 p.m. on Saturday also was postponed.

The high schools at Miller Place and Mount Sinai both are in quarantine and currently learning remotely after an outbreak of COVID-19. The Bayport-Blue Point football team is also in quarantine after players tested positive this week.

"We have two high schools in full quarantine and those schools will not have after-school activities, including all sports," said Tom Combs, the executive director of Section XI, which governs Suffolk sports. "They’ll try and squeeze those games in down the line as long as they have the mandatory four nights of rest to play a game."

According to Combs, the Mount Sinai athletes were quarantined through contact tracing after other students in the school tested positive.

"Through no fault of their own, these players will have to wait a week to play," Combs said. "If you drive to school or just hang out with students in the general population and they test positive, it impacts you and your team. It’s such a tough situation for everyone."

Combs said a few JV contests have been canceled in the first week of fall sports.

"We haven’t seen much change in varsity events," Combs said. "We’re pleased with our start to the fall season. Our athletic directors, coaches and administrators are working tirelessly to get events up and running."

He acknowledged the spectator issue is more of a problem.

"Each school district will determine if away spectators are allowed at any outdoor events," he said. "Away spectators are not allowed at indoor events."

SectionXI.org lists the schools that allow visiting spectators to outdoor events only. You can also see which schools are streaming live events.

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME