On Friday, April 23, the East football team was set to play New Trier at the Northern Illinois University stadium. The game would have been the sixth and final game of the season for the Saints, marking the conclusion of a season that was unique due to its length and placement in the calendar year. 

However, hours before the game, a student-athlete on the football team tested positive for COVID-19. Because of this positive test, the game was cancelled due to quarantine protocols for all individuals who were exposed to COVID-19. 

With this year’s season shortened due to the IHSA’s COVID-19 regulations, the game will not be rescheduled. Many of the players were disappointed at the cancellation.

Austin Barrett is a sophomore on the Varsity team who said that he was surprised and upset at the news.

“[The cancellation] was unreal,” Barrett said. “Just like that, our season was over … it really hit me and the whole team pretty hard.” 

Barrett also said that the New Trier game was a particularly unfortunate game to be cancelled. 

“I was excited for the New Trier game,” he said. “I thought we finally had all of our stuff together, and we had a great week of practice.” 

Throughout the season, the Saints were faced with a number of adjustments due to COVID-19 protocols. 

“COVID was a huge setback,” Barrett said. “From the lack of availability of our weight room to the lack of practices we had throughout the year.” Because of these obstacles, Barrett said the season did not proceed as they had planned. 

“We went 0-5, and we only had about two weeks to prepare for a whole season.” 

The cancellation of the game was particularly difficult for seniors. For these student-athletes, the final game of their high school careers was taken away without warning.

Kelton McCaslin is a junior on the team who feels particularly bad for his senior teammates. 

“We all just feel bad for the seniors,” McCaslin said. “It was just a bummer [the season] ended like that.”

Barrett said that he struggles to imagine what it is like for those seniors on the team 

“Having your season pushed back all the way to spring, and then to have your last game be taken from you,” he said. “It’s tough.”