Newcomerstown High School has shut down its football program through Tuesday, Sep. 14, athletic director Chad Elliott confirmed on Wednesday.
“We won’t be playing this Friday due to COVID issues,” says head football coach Dirk Gadd said.
Newcomerstown was supposed to play their Week 4 game against Indian Valley High School this Friday, but the game was canceled on Sep. 1 after the Braves also shut down their scheduled Sep. 3 matchup against Dover due to COVID-19.
Another stroke of bad luck arrived for the Trojans just before their Week 3 matchup against Conotton Valley when the Rockets had to cancel due to a positive COVID test surfacing within the team. Coach Gadd said the Trojans’ situation had nothing to do with the Rockets’ case.
The Trojans are one of a number of Tuscarawas County schools whose football schedule has been affected by the coronavirus, following Indian Valley, Conotton Valley, Dover, and Tuscarawas Central Catholic (Indian Valley and Conotton Valley have been directly affected by the virus).
Newcomerstown is currently 0-2, with losses to Shenandoah (28-7) and West Muskingum (42-21). Their next scheduled game is on Friday, Sep. 17 against Claymont.