Natick-Framingham football game postponed to April 15 due to COVID-19


The game is rescheduled to April 15. The Natick team is in quarantine after a player tested positive for COVID-19.

NATICK — Friday night’s scheduled high school football game between Natick and Framingham is postponed until April 15, after a Natick player tested positive for COVID-19.

The unnamed player came into close contact with his parent, who tested positive for COVID-19, according to Superintendent of Schools Anna Nolin. The entire Natick team is now in quarantine.

As of Wednesday, no other members of the football team tested positive for COVID-19, according to Nolin. Nineteen PCR tests were administered, and none returned a positive result..

The unnamed student was placed in quarantine last Friday, immediately after the School Department was notified that the parent tested positive for COVID-19. The parent was tested March 9 and the result came back two days later.

The infected player did not attend school on Friday, nor did he play in Friday night’s Fall II season opener against Walpole High, which Natick won 28-7.

Nolin said the player who eventually tested positive participated in last Wednesday’s full-contact practice. Team coaches told Nolin they looked at the practice tape to see who came into contact with the player. Contact tracing followed, and it resulted in the entire team placed in quarantine.

More: UPDATE: Elementary school closed for two weeks; hockey team put on ice

Natick-Framingham is among the biggest rivalries in the region. Under a normal fall schedule, the two teams would meet on Thanksgiving morning. 

More: COVID-19 slam-dunks Natick High boys’ basketball team for two weeks

In January, the Natick High boys varsity hockey and basketball teams were shut down for two weeks due to COVID-19 infections.

Henry Schwan is the health reporter for the Daily News. Follow Henry on Twitter @henrymetrowest. He can be reached at hschwan@wickedlocal.com or 508-626-3964.