RICHMOND – The Spartans beat the Mules, 44-6, last week, but now the question is whether Richmond can beat the Lathrop team’s brush with COVID-19.

A football coach has the virus and “some players are showing symptoms,” Lathrop District Superintendent Chris Fine stated. As a result, everyone on both teams are required to self-quarantine, meaning they cannot attend school and cannot play football again until they are cleared.

“Even though we have taken many precautionary measures in order for our football program to be successful and stay healthy, this was bound to happen as it has in many other schools over the last several days,” Fine stated.

Richmond players who participated in the game went into quarantine mode after the district consulted with Ray County Memorial Hospital and the health department. The Spartans had been scheduled to play Oak Grove on Friday.

Richmond School District Superintendent Greg Darling said Tuesday a decision about whether the game will go on will not be made until after test results for the Lathrop players to come back.

“When we get that, then we’ll do an official announcement,” he said. “When you play football, you’re in direct contact a lot.”

Richmond postponed a junior varsity game against Lathrop on Monday.