Seven weeks into the football season, the Prague Red Devils have played three games.
Same at Stroud, where the Tigers’ season has been in neutral since they played Prague on Sep. 11.
At Meeker, the Bulldogs have scrapped one game, moved this week’s game from Friday to Saturday night and had to practice with as few as 14 players.
McLoud had a game cancelled and had to find an opponent on short notice another week, and Davenport had to cancel Homecoming Friday night.
All because of COVID-19 exposures.
“It’s been a year,” said Prague head coach Mike Hedge, whose team was scheduled to play at Kellyville Friday.
The Red Devils were supposed to play at Meeker last Friday, but the game was scrapped on Friday afternoon because of a reported case of COVID-19 on the Meeker team.
“Last week was the frustrating one,” said Hedge. “It’s a rivalry game and the kids are ready to play, then they get the rug pulled out from under them and they’re left at the altar.”
That’s the way football season has gone - a microcosm of the disease’s spread through Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties, where reported infections jumped by more than 100 and more than 200, respectively, in the last week.
As of Tuesday, the only football teams in the area not affected by issues related to COVID-19 are Chandler, Wellston and North Rock Creek.
Teams who haven’t been able to play have been practicing. And practicing. And practicing.
“We’re the best practice team in the state,” said Hedge.
That’s pretty much the case at Stroud, where coach Josh Presley said he and his staff have been trying to keep as much of a routine as possible.
“When you go a month without playing, the big challenge is to keep the energy level up,” Presley said. “We’ve shortened a practice or two, but we haven’t given the kids a day off.
“We’re a young team and can’t afford to take time off.”
Presley said the Tigers have taken steps to keep their players COVID-free. Only the water girls - not the players - are allowed to touch the team’s water bottles.
“And we’re constantly spraying down the weight room and disinfecting it,” he said. “And we talk about being smart and staying in our bubble here in Stroud.”
Unlike Prague and Stroud, whose cancelled games were because of other teams, Meeker has had to deal with the effects of the disease in its own locker room.
“It’s unlike anything we have seen before,” said coach D.J. Howell. “We just have to step back and say, ‘I’m going to do the best I can.’
“We’ve missed a scrimmage - our only scrimmage - missed practice time, missed players, missed team camps.
“It’s hard to get in a rhythm. I have gotten to the point where the only logical way of looking at is: we’re going to control what we can and enjoy every practice and game.
“When the inevitable curveball comes, adapt as best you can.”
This week, the Bulldogs shifted their game with Millwood from Friday to Saturday night.
Howell said most of the players who have been quarantined should be able to play, but none will have practiced.
In McLoud, one player tested positive for COVID-19 in August and others were quarantined for 14 days.
“We have protocols in place,” said coach Rusty Hall. “We are wearing masks when we are inside and we are practicing social distancing the best we can when we can.”
“We are emphasizing and encouraging that our players stay within our football group and for them not to go out with large groups or with a bunch of people outside of school they aren’t normally around.”