The varsity football team began to quarantine after a player tested positive for COVID on Sunday, Sept. 5. Because of COVID protocol at West, the team forfeited their Sept. 10 home game against Prospect High School. They will also forfeit the Sept. 17 game at Rolling Meadows High School. As of now, the team is set to come back next week, ready to hit the ground running to face Glenbrook South for an away game.

April Stallworth, District 219’s Director of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships, confirmed that 48% of the players are either unvaccinated or have not provided evidence of vaccination, while 52% of the players are vaccinated. Vaccinated players have been allowed to come to school and participate in practices after school. Unvaccinated players currently quarantining will continue to participate in zoom workouts until they return on Monday, Sept. 20.

“This will only affect us badly if we allow it to. We are focused on controlling what we can control. Guys that are out will be given workouts and installs, and we will meet via zoom to prepare for whatever is next. There is always an opportunity in adversity,” head coach Nick Torresso said.  

Players say that this will only make the team more determined and that this time off will help them improve.

“Right now the entire team is mad and frustrated but I think this will make us more determined in the end to succeed because we will have less games and shorter time for some of us since it’s our last games playing football for our lives. I wish our team didn’t get COVID but it is what it is,” senior Max Nauman said.

“When I first found out, the team and I were all frustrated. But it’s out of our control so we can only focus on the positive side of it. Now we have more time to improve on as a team and defeat our challenges,” senior Jack Leons said.

Senior Jadden Miller says that this time off will not only help the team, but that he’ll also use this time to prepare himself more as well.

“Once I make sure I don’t have COVID, I’ll still be doing my own personal workouts and hitting the gym more than we already have been,” Miller said. “This time will only make us better as a whole, we’re gonna come back and shock the whole conference.”

The Wolves started off strong this season and are currently 2-0. They resume game play on Friday, Sept. 24 at Glenbrook South at 7 p.m.