The pandemic, like the Lord, works in mysterious ways.
After looking like it would be benched for the week when the St. Michael-Albertville football program had to cancel practices due to a positive COVID-19 case, the Knights now find themselves with another Top 10 matchup this afternoon, at home, at 4 p.m.
Hang on to your mittens – here’s how it happened.
St. Michael-Albertville coach Jared Essler had at 80 kids (varsity and junior varsity) quarantined earlier this week after a player on the team returned a positive test following the Knights’ big win over 2019 State 6A Champion Wayzata.
Essler said that number was down to 20 midweek, as the team got back to practice.
Meanwhile, Edina, the Classic Conference foe STMA was supposed to battle this week, rescheduled its game and decided to bring Bemidji to town for a tilt, leaving STMA on the sideline to recover for a week before resuming its schedule with the homecoming game vs. Prior Lake on Friday, Oct. 30.
As Lee Corso of ESPN College Game Day would say, “Not so fast my friend!”
Champlin Park learned its game was going to be canceled after Anoka High found positive tests on its football roster, sending the Tornadoes to the showers for this week. The No. 5 Patriots, who are also 2-0, reached out through the grapevine and found STMA ready for a game. The two have met each of the last two seasons.
“It’s been a very crazy week,” Essler said.
But, here we are. A top 10 game between two 6A teams at STMA High field tonight.
You can stream the game online at STMA Live, the school’s YouTube Channel.