ALTON - The Alton High School football team will play against Champaign Central this coming Tuesday, March 30, in a replacement game after their originally scheduled game against O'Fallon next Friday, April 2, was cancelled "because of COVID-19 quarantine protocol being enacted by O'Fallon High School within their varsity program," Alton Athletic Director Chris Kusnerick said.

O'Fallon was scheduled to play tonight against Belleville West at home, but that game has also been cancelled. The Panthers game April 9 against East St. Louis is also in jeopardy, but no final decision has been made. The Maroons have since picked up a game against Quincy Notre Dame, which will be played at Flinn Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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The Redbirds previously announced that their game against the Flyers, scheduled for tonight, that they would forfeit the game due to a lack of available players.

In a press release issued at mid-day, Alton High athletic director Chris Kusmerick said that the Redbirds had entered into an agreement with the Big 12 Conference, where Champaign Central plays, and it allowed the game to be scheduled. The kickoff will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Public School Stadium.

"This will align with current IDPH and IHSA protocols concerning football this spring in the state of Illinois," Kusmerick said in the release. "This contest will replace the Redbirds' game on the schedule vs O'Fallon High School on Friday, April 2."

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The Redbirds are still scheduled to return to Southwestern Conference action on April 9, when Alton will play at Belleville East.

In a statement issued by the O'Fallon Township High School District, superintendent Darcy Benway said that the quarantine of the Panthers, along with the cancellation of their next two games, was done as a safety precaution.

"Due to the nature of football drills and practices, it must be presumed that most varsity players were in close contact and exposed to the virus," Benway said in the statement. "As always, OTHS maintains the safety of its campus community as the top priority. Accordingly, the entire OTHS varsity football team has been quarantined to prevent the potential spread of the virus."

The Panthers' varsity are expected to remain in quarantine until April 6, when they will be permitted to return to both the campus and to practice

"We will work with the IHSA to determine our ability to play East St. Louis on April 9," Benway also said in the statement.

The Panthers are also scheduled to host Edwardsville on April 16.

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