The Bigfork High School volleyball team has postponed its varsity season due to a positive COVID-19 result to one of its players.
Bigfork athletic director Matt Porrovecchio confirmed to MTN Sports Wednesday evening that one player in the volleyball program had tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, over half of the combined junior varsity and varsity squad has been identified as close contacts per contact tracing guidelines from the county, and placed in quarantine.
The Missoulian first reported the postponements Wednesday evening.
Because so many players are now in quarantine, Porrovecchio said Bigfork didn't have enough players to field a team in the coming days.
"Because it was a student-athlete, it had a greater impact on the team that they were apart of," Porrovecchio said. "And that (impact) was just on the varsity and JV team (because) JV and varsity practice together. It doesn't work out very well for competition for the teams we're playing and our school as well."
The team will resume activities on Monday, Oct. 5, with this week and next serving as the postponement period. Bigfork had four games scheduled during that time period with three games rescheduled. According to Porrovecchio, Tuesday's initial match with Eureka has been set for Oct. 5. The Sept. 26 game against Troy has been reset for Oct. 19 while the Oct. 1 meeting with Thompson Falls has been rescheduled for Oct. 17.
The Sept. 28 matchup with Whitefish has yet to be rescheduled with Porrovecchio saying it might not be because it's a non-conference game and the emphasis is put on league games. Games affected by quarantining that cannot be played or rescheduled are listed as a no contest, per Montana High School Association guidelines.
Porrovecchio said no other athletic programs or competitions were affected though a "handful" of football players were also identified as close contacts.
"While unfortunate, based on the fact that we've been able to get a vast majority of the games rescheduled and the kids are healthy and safe, it's worked out pretty well," Porrovecchio said. "The county has been great to work with and, again, as a school I think we've done a really good job of having the information readily available so it isn't of a greater impact."
Porrovecchio added that last he heard from the family the athlete who tested positive for the virus was "recovering" and that the "worst had passed."