Fremont’s football team will forfeit its 6A first-round state playoff game this weekend against Copper Hills because of COVID-19 cases on the team. The news was first reported by Patrick Carr of Ogden’s Standard-Examiner.
No. 20 seed Copper Hills will now move on to the 6A second round and will take on No. 4 seed American Fork on Oct. 30.
Postponed games were a regular occurrence over the final three weeks of the regular season, with over 20 games simply wiped from the schedule without being made up. The UHSAA said that because of COVID-19, none of the cancellations required a forfeit.
In the playoffs, however, which get underway this week in 6A through 2A, there must be a winner to move to the next round, which requires a forfeit by Fremont.
Here’s the full statement from the Weber School District.
Fremont finished the regular season with a 5-5 record, and finished third in Region 1 with a 4-2 record.
Fremont beat Davis and Farmington in the final two games of the regular season and was feeling confident heading into the playoffs against Copper Hills. According to Parry’s Power Guide, the Silver Wolves were a big favorite.
Fremont coach Ross Arnold is extremely disappointed that his players won’t get the chance to build on that momentum this week.
“I don’t even have the words right now to properly express myself,” Arnold told the Deseret News. “I’m numb and it feels like we just got punched in the gut. I’m mainly disappointed for every player on our team for the season ending this way. ... It’s especially disappointing for my 30 seniors to never get the opportunity to wear their pads and Fremont jersey again or to compete together with their friends for their school and community. I love my players and coaching staff and I have enjoyed competing with them this season so to have it end this way is disappointing to put it lightly.”
As of now, the 32 additional playoff games around the state are proceeding as scheduled.
The girls soccer season concludes this week with the semifinals and championship games, and it avoided any cancellations the past two weeks of first round, second round and quarterfinal games.