Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

COVID issues have led to a pair of high school football season openers being canceled as well as a volleyball season opener being postponed.

The Johnston City at Edwards County and Red Bud at Pinckneyville football games scheduled for Friday night have both been called off due to COVID protocols at Edwards County and Pinckneyville.

New Panthers head coach Logan Spain will have to wait a couple of weeks for his debut. A player testing positive along with several other players showing symptoms have led to a two-week shutdown, meaning Pinckneyville’s game at West Frankfort scheduled for next week will also be canceled.

The IHSA informed schools earlier this month that there would be forfeit wins and losses for games not played due to quarantine or lack of players. This rule was put in place due to teams having to qualify for the football playoffs. Teams that are in line to receive a forfeit win can find a replacement team to play, but that game result will be the official tally for the week. In other words, teams can’t take the forfeit win and play another team. The team that had to forfeit still takes the loss, even if the opponent chooses to play someone else.

Edwards County’s volleyball season opener scheduled for tonight against Carmi-White County has been postponed.