Hilton Head High School football team in quarantine for second time. Games postponed
For the third time in two months, dozens of Hilton Head Island High School students have entered quarantine due reported COVID-19 cases.
Two students tested positive for the virus, one of whom was a member of the varsity football team, according to a Wednesday email from principal Steven Schidrich to parents.
As a result, the school’s entire varsity football team — about 25 students — will be quarantining until Nov. 3.
The team’s Friday matchup against May River High School and its Oct. 30 matchup against Beaufort High School have been postponed.
According to Schidrich, coaches “were not considered close contacts,” and the junior varsity team “was not impacted,” but their Thursday game “will more than likely be cancelled.”
The school’s entire cheerleading squad — approximately 25 students — is also currently quarantining due to a positive case on the team.
In September, all 59 members of the JV and varsity football teams were quarantined, along with two coaching staff, after one football player and one part-time employee associated with the team tested positive for COVID-19.
The standard quarantine period is 14 days after the last close contact with a person while they were contagious with COVID-19, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Schidrich wrote in his notification to parents that “our community needs to work harder to prevent the spread of COVID-19 amongst our students.”
As of Thursday morning, the district’s COVID-19 dashboard showed that 16 of the district’s 33 COVID-19 cases reported since Sept. 28 came from Hilton Head Island High School. One was reported Monday, one was reported Wednesday and five were reported last week.
“When large gatherings of students are held outside of school it is important that social distancing and masks be used to avoid outbreaks that impact students and their families as well as school operations,” Schidrich wrote.
“Most everyone I speak to wants to see the return of students to a five day school week. We want our athletes on the courts, in the pools, and on the fields. We want our performers on stage. Let’s work harder to make it happen.”
As of Monday, 68% of the school’s approximately 1,300 students are attending hybrid classes. That number is up 2% from hybrid registrations ahead of the Oct. 5 hybrid start date.
Three other district high schools have also had quarantines:
- Approximately 50 members of the May River High School band quarantined after two COVID-19 cases were reported among people associated with the band.
38 members of Bluffton High School’s junior varsity football team quarantined following its Sept. 24 game against Colleton County High School. One of the opposing team’s players tested positive for COVID-19.
At Beaufort High School, three cheerleaders tested positive for COVID-19. All 48 members of the J.V. and varsity cheerleading squads were quarantined.
This is the second time Hilton Head has missed games because of COVID-19. The Seahawks missed the first two weeks because of the coronavirus before opening the season against Bluffton on Oct. 2.
Hilton Head’s postponements put a big dent into the six-team Region 7-4A schedule. The Seahawks still have three conference games to play and likely will have just a few days to do it when they come back from quarantine.
The other teams in the region include Beaufort, May River, Colleton County, James Island and Bluffton. May River, James Island and Bluffton have played four conference games. Colleton County and Beaufort have played three and HHI just two.
SC public schools are playing a seven-game regular season that is scheduled to end Nov. 6. The top two teams in the region qualify for the playoffs plus a third-place team eligible for one of the two at-large spots in Class 4A.
May River coach Rodney Summers was hoping to find a replacement for Hilton Head this week but was unable to on short notice. The region’s athletic directors will meet next week to discuss scheduling possibilities for the rest of the season.
Beaufort coach Bryce Lybrand said his team will look to play a game Oct. 30.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 9:38 AM.