This Gator bent for the header against Chicopee at Szot Park yesterday. Like Chicopee, Gateway is now rescheduling evening sports to limit exposure to the West Nile and Eastern Equine Encephalitis viruses. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – Rain and the threat of high winds forced the postponement of several games yesterday, but an even bigger danger continues to wreak havoc with evening contests and Friday night football.
Westfield High School athletic director Karen Gomez announced today that the Bombers’ football home opener against the Holyoke Purple Knights on Friday has been moved to Saturday afternoon at 1:30. This change came about due to the high-risk for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus in mosquitoes throughout the state, and the country.
“We have to do what is most important to keep our athletes safe,” said Gomez, who has been instructed by school administrators, per the local Board of Health, to reschedule any night games until a hard frost blankets the area.
“We are taking every week, week-by-week,” she said. “We’re going to do the best we can. It’s frustrating for all communities.”
Gomez is also the athletic director for Westfield Vocational-Technical High School.
There will be no charge for admission at Saturday’s football game as there will be no high school band, limited concessions, and possibly no cheerleaders.
“It could be lots worse,” Gomez said. “They could not even let us play.”
In “high” or “critical” risk towns, many high school sporting events are expected to start no later than 4 p.m., with practices ending well before dusk. Gateway Regional has postponed all of its nighttime outdoor sporting events until further notice, moving all of its games to 4.
Bug spray is being made easily accessible to all athletes.
The state Department of Public Health recently announced the fourth human case of EEE in a Massachusetts resident, a Plymouth County man in his 60s, as well as WNV in a Hampden County resident in his 50s.
The WNV threat level is currently “High” in Westfield, Agawam, Easthampton, Northampton, Southampton, and Hadley.
All of yesterday’s games involving Westfield and Westfield Voc-Tech have been postponed until today due to the inclement weather.
