LEBANON — COVID-19 put an early end to Lebanon High’s football season last fall, and it has reared its ugly head again to open the new campaign.
Lebanon athletic director Mike Stone late Friday night canceled a scheduled Saturday scrimmage with Plymouth at Henry Emerton Memorial Field because of a positive COVID-19 test from a member of the Raiders. The workout has been bumped back to Monday at 5:30 p.m., pending the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Henri. Lebanon also took all of Saturday off.
In a text message posted on Facebook, Stone said the move was made “out of an abundance of caution. … For precautionary reasons, we ask that you monitor your child for symptoms and seek a test if necessary.”
Phone messages left for Stone and Lebanon football coach Chris Childs on Saturday were not returned.
COVID-19 ended Lebanon’s last season on the gridiron. After a 6-0 campaign that included two NHIAA Division II state tournament wins, the Raiders had to forfeit a semifinal date at Plymouth set for Nov. 7 because of the pandemic. After beating Bow, 30-6, in an Oct. 30 quarterfinal, Lebanon learned that a Bow player had later tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing rules at the time affected enough Raiders that Lebanon couldn’t field a full roster against Plymouth.
The Raiders and Bobcats also lost a regular-season encounter last year when both schools recorded COVID-19 positives. The pandemic ultimately cost the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association some 20 state tournament games — before the arrival of widespread vaccinations — involving at least 15 member schools.
The Raiders began their football preseason on Aug. 13. They are scheduled to host Laconia in a scrimmage on Friday night. Their regular season commences at Manchester West on Sept. 3.
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.