Friday football is facing a new opponent as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Pennsylvania.
On Friday, Boiling Springs played Mechanicsburg in a match up that wasn't planned. Both teams were originally scheduled to play different schools. Originally, Boiling Springs was scheduled against Line Mountain and Mechanicsburg was matched against Northern.
"It came together in about 36 hours," said Mechanicsburg athletic director, Seth Pehanich, who said he called the AD in Boiling Springs to organize the game.
"I'm not sure of the last time we've ever played Boiling Springs. Years. Years" said Pehanic. "...The number one priority is to give these kids opportunities to play."
Pehanic said the Mechanicsburg coaches were ecstatic when they heard the team would still be able to take the field Friday.
"They knew they were getting a good opponent in Boiling Springs and one that's a natural rivalry being so close," said Pehanich.
Pehanich said last year the football team was only allowed to admit parents to watch the games. This year he said nearly 3,000 people are allowed inside the stadium in Mechanicsburg.
The PA Department of Health reported 5,198 New Cases, 2,337 Patients Hospitalized and 589 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit with COVID-19 on Friday. More than 12.5 million vaccinations have been administered with 67.5% of adults 19 and older vaccinated.
The state also reported 44 new deaths as of Thursday, Sept. 16 for a total of 28,812 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
The coronavirus vaccine is approved currently for children 12 and older.
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