ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond Senior High School boys’ varsity basketball team will not be allowed to play or practice for 10 days.
Richmond’s athletic director Rob Ransom informed The Richmond Observer via email on Thursday afternoon that the Raiders will have to quarantine in adherence to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s COVID-19 protocols.
Fourth-year head coach Donald Pettigrew confirmed a couple hours after Ransom’s email that a member of the program tested positive for the coronavirus earlier Thursday. The NCHSAA’s mandated quarantine policy only impacts the boys’ varsity team.
Richmond’s girls’ varsity team, and both junior varsity programs, are still scheduled to play Purnell Swett High School on Friday.
Ransom said Pettigrew and the Raiders will be allowed to resume practices and games on Feb. 1, as long as there are no other outbreaks of the virus within the team.
In October, the NCHSAA released guidelines and protocols should a team member or coach be diagnosed with the coronavirus. The governing body also suggested that teams and impacted personnel should work closely with local health departments should a diagnosis occur.
The NCHSAA’s guidelines said that in order for a team or person infected with the coronavirus to return to practice or games, they must:
– Wait at least 10 days, show declining symptoms and have a negative test.
– Have no fever (without the use of fever reducers) in 24 hours.
– Complete a “Return to Play” form and be cleared by a licensed health official.
With the 10-day quarantine, the Raiders will lose a couple of games, including Friday’s non-conference matchup at New Life Christian Academy. Ransom confirmed that the team’s game against Jack Britt High School on Jan. 29 has been cancelled.
Richmond was scheduled to play fellow Sandhills Athletic Conference opponent Pinecrest High School on Jan. 26, and that game has been rescheduled for Feb. 6.
The Raiders have seen their schedule impacted several times already this season due to the virus. The SAC’s athletic directors also modified the conference’s schedule last week to accommodate the many programs that have missed single games or had to quarantine.
This is a developing story. The Richmond Observer will update it if new information emerges.
