Even as the Alba-Golden varsity volleyball and football teams were preparing to return to action after a quarantine for COVID-19, the Quitman Bulldogs had to cancel the Friday night football game with Harmony, leading the Bulldogs to forfeit the district game.

Quitman ISD announced Friday afternoon that the home game with Harmony was canceled after one student tested positive for COVID-19, and contact tracing indicated that a “significant” number of football players had been impacted.

The Lady Bulldogs were able to play their volleyball game that afternoon, also with Harmony.

As of Tuesday the Bulldogs’ football game with Grand Saline on Friday, Oct. 16 is still scheduled to be played.

The quarantine of the Alba-Golden varsity football and volleyball teams had expired Friday.

The Lady Panthers returned to volleyball action on Saturday morning, but the football team’s return coincided with the regularly scheduled bye.

Two district varsity football games were missed during the quarantine. The Panthers’ district had scheduled two additional weeks at the end of the season to address such a situation.

Varsity football resumes Friday night as Alba-Golden hosts Rivercrest. It will be homecoming as well as senior night.

AGISD did report an additional confirmed case of COVID-19 last Thursday for a seventh grade student who was last on campus Oct. 5.

Mineola, Quitman and Yantis ISDs have canceled virtual learning and are requiring students to return to campus unless there is a signed medical exemption.

Mineola students returned to campus Tuesday, and Quitman and Yantis are requiring students to return on Oct. 20, which is the start of the second nine weeks grading period.

QISD said its limited cases were all from transmission outside the school setting.