MOUNT GILEAD —Although Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has given the OK for football games to go in Ohio this fall, that does’t mean smooth sailing for fall athletic events.

Next week’s season opening game between Northmor and Mount Gilead has been cancelled due to positive a COVID-19 test result among the Mount Gilead football program.

In that 12-age order, available on the Galion Inquirer website, it states:

“COVID-19 continues to present a substantial risk to Ohioans. As recognized by the Centers of Disease and control and Prevention and other authorities, participating in sports increases the risk of COVID-29 exposure and spread. The risk of spread increases the more an athlete interacts with other athletes, the closer the physical interaction of athletic participants, the longer the interaction, and the more sharing of equipment there is by multiple athletes, among other considerations.”

The Northmor Athletics Department made the announcement Thursday afternoon via its Facebook page.

“First, our Week 1 varsity and jayvee football games vs. Mount Gilead have been canceled by direction of the Morrow County Health District due to positive COVID tests within the Mount Gilead football program,” the Northmor athletics department said.

“Secondly, our eighth-grade volleyball team will be shut down for two weeks per the direction of the Morrow County Health District as a result of a positive COVID test. Eighth-grade volleyball can resume practice and games as of Sept. 3.”

The shut down not affect the seventh-grade volleyball program.

Also, the athletics department has announced tjat based on the Ohio Department of Health order released Thursday that prohibits volleyball matches against more than one team in the same day, Saturday’s high school volleyball match will be a home jayvee and varsity game vs. Lucas. The jayvee contest will start at 10 a.m.