Donoho boys sidelined

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: November 30, 2020

Falcons boys varsity basketball sidelined until Dec. 8 after a positive COVID-19 test within the team (updates with Pleasant Valley girls)

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

The Donoho boys basketball team will be under COVID-19 quarantine for the next 14 days after a positive test was confirmed among its players Friday.

The Falcons are the third basketball team in Calhoun County, and second boys team, to be quarantined this season. The Pleasant Valley boys had the start of their season delayed because of quarantine and the Weaver girls were sidelined starting last week.

UPDATE (Nov. 30): The Pleasant Valley girls basketball team has fallen under COVID quarantine after several members of the program tested positive. The Lady Raiders are sidelined until Dec. 9. The boys were scheduled to come out of quarantine Dec. 1, but now, coach Brad Hood said, they won’t play until both varsities can play together.

Donoho’s quarantine does not effect its girls varsity or JV boys teams.

“It’s unfortunate we’ve had to quarantine our entire team,” Donoho athletics director Steve Gendron said. “No. 1, we hope that everyone is healthy and No. 2, we want to be in school.

“I hope those kids are healthy and their families are healthy … and we look forward to resuming practice, we look forward to resuming the normal day-to-day operations of a varsity basketball team when the quarantine is lifted.”

The Falcons will be eligible to return, provided no one else exhibits symptoms, Dec. 8 at Ragland. They had played three games.

Including the Ragland game, the boys are scheduled to play four during the term of the quarantine – Monday against Cleburne County, Tuesday at Coosa Christian, Friday against JCA and Ragland. Three of the games are area contests.

School officials are working to reschedule the games. They will be listed as forfeits until they are rescheduled.

An interesting sidelight to the quarantine is coach Korielle Beavers is among those sidelined and he coaches both varsity squads.

JV boys coach Todd Waldrop will coach his team and the girls varsity during this period and if he needs help Gendron and football coach Mark Sanders will step up. Sanders coached the junior high basketball team last year.

“With Area play about to begin it’s very tough indeed,” Beavers told East Alabama Sports Today. “But with COVID going on, administration and us as coaches’ first concern is putting the team and the school in the best situation in regards to health.

“I talked with most of the guys and they seem to be feeling all right. We just have to keep our minds and spirits up. I’ve felt like the last couple of practices with the guys we’re starting to find our identity a bit. I’m just hoping it can continue once this time is up.

“It’s extremely tough that I’m not going to be on the sideline for our Lady Falcons, but we have a lot of seniors on the team that should help keep things together. I knew I loved coaching but when something like this happens it’s really letting me realize how much love we have for coaching as well as for each player.”

It’s the second time Donoho’s athletics programs have been impacted by COVID this season. The football Falcons had several players quarantined early in their season due to close contact protocols.