Nc'Town AD Elliott: Trojan football planning for 3 more games

NEWCOMERSTOWN - According to Newcomerstown athletic director Chad Elliott, Newcomerstown will play three more football games to close out its 2020 season, after the Trojans' Weeks 6 and 7 games were canceled on Wednesday due to an athlete testing positive for COVID-19.

Elliott told Tusco TV the Trojans plan to resume play on Friday, Oct. 16 in a home matchup against Buckeye Local, followed by games on Oct. 23 at River View, and on Oct. 30 against Danville.

The Trojans, who are currently 1-4 for the season, were one of two teams affected by the coronavirus this past week, along with Strasburg, who canceled their Week 6 game against Tuscarawas Central Catholic due to a number of players being exposed to a positive COVID-19 case. However, the Tigers have rescheduled their opening state playoff game against Monroe Central this Friday.

Newcomerstown superintendent Jeff Staggs released a statement last Wednesday on Facebook confirming the school's cancellation of varsity football and volleyball, while saying the switch to remote learning was based on a lack of substitute teachers to fill in for teachers being quarantined.

While also saying the school's switch was based on the teacher situation, Elliott today said the football team had to quarantine 21 players.

Newcomerstown, who was set to take on Belpre in their opening-round matchup, is currently listed as a forfeit in the Division VI (Region 23) tournament, which allows Belpre to advance to play top-seeded Beverly Fort Frye.