JACKSON TWP — A Seneca Valley High School football player has possibly been exposed to COVID-19, prompting the school to suspend the team's practice sessions.

The school did not have football practice Tuesday and “practice has been suspended indefinitely,” SV athletic director Heather Lewis said.

Because of this disruption to the August practice schedule, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association rules stipulate that the Raiders must cancel their Sept. 4 scrimmage against Pine-Richland and Sept. 11 season opener against North Allegheny.

The Sept. 11 game will be recorded as a “no contest,” with neither team receiving a win or a loss.

“Those cancellations are in accordance with PIAA rules,” Lewis said. “Even if we returned to practice tomorrow (Wednesday), we wouldn't be able to play. You're required to have five heat acclimatization days in succession and we can't do that now.”

Seneca Valley head coach Ron Butschle said a parent of one of his players called him at 8 p.m. Monday to inform him of the possible exposure.

“I called Heather Lewis immediately,” Butschle said. “It's my responsibility to do that, get the chain of communication started.”

While Butschle said he and the team are “disappointed by this development, we all understand the situation and accept it.

“I've told the kids this is the world we're in right now. We can only control things we have control over. We have to look at each day we spend on the field together as a gift,” he added.

Lewis said she does not anticipate the football team having to cancel any games beyond the opener.

“We need to adhere to the Department of Health guidelines and that's what we're doing,” she said.

The Seneca Valley football team will not be tested for COVID-19.

“That's not necessary at this point,” Butschle said. “Once we get a result (on the player possibly exposed), we'll respond accordingly. If it's negative, I imagine we'll be back on the field in a few days.

“If it's positive, the hospital will likely do contact tracing and we'll go from there.”

Players will be updated on a return-to-practice date once those details are decided by the Pa. Department of Health and Seneca Valley, the school district said in a prepared release.