The high school football playoffs begin this weekend, but Bedford North Lawrence won’t be taking part this year.
Due to positive cases of COVID-19 at the school, the Stars cancelled the remainder of their football season Wednesday. BNL was scheduled to play New Albany in its Class 5A Sectional 16 opener on Oct. 30. Class 5A and 6A schools have a bye week built into the postseason, while Classes 1A-4A begin play this weekend.
“In order to provide the safest environment possible, (we) feel that our best option is to cancel the remainder of the high school football season,” the school said in a release posted on Facebook.
BNL finishes its season 2-7, and New Albany automatically advances to the next round of the playoffs.
Bloomington High School South may find itself in a similar situation next Friday.
The Panthers (4-3) are scheduled to begin the playoffs on Oct. 30 at Castle, but haven’t played since Oct. 2 due to COVID-19 cases at the school. Games against Indianapolis Roncalli on Oct. 9 and Indianapolis Chatard on Oct. 16 were cancelled, also due to the coronavirus.
With a number of players under quarantine through next week, the school is awaiting a decision on whether to go forward or not.
Bloomington High School North had a Sept. 25 game against New Albany cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 test, but resumed its season the following week and finished the regular season without issue. The Cougars (4-4) are scheduled to open the playoffs Oct. 30 at Evansville North.
