Marlboro High’s football team had its scheduled scrimmage with Chester on Sept. 4 canceled due to widespread exposure to COVID-19 to about 20 players, according to new football coach Ryan Brooks.

Brooks said the players will remain in quarantine until at least Wednesday, Sept. 8. The Dukes’ season opener at Red Hook this week was rescheduled from Saturday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Sept. 12, so Marlboro could get the required number of practices in. The teams will kick off at 2 p.m.

“We had six practices as a full team, then we got hit with the COVID issue,” Brooks said the day before the scheduled scrimmage was nixed. “We have probably about a dozen kids that are eligible to continue practicing right now.”

Brooks said the staff has been working with those players on drills and weightlifting to keep them sharp.

Brooks said he’s confident the Dukes will be able to “hit the ground running” when all the players return from quarantine.
- Rick Remsnyder