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Three area schools decline to host PIAA tournament games because of coronavirus concerns

Oxford declined to host a Tuesday night game involving Unionville and Coatesville declined to host a Wednesday night game involving Lower Merion. Unionville and Lower Merion both closed school on Tuesday as precautionary measures. Norristown also has declined to host a game.

Senior standout James Simples (left) of Lower Merion in a game earlier this season. Lower Merion and Wilson-West Lawn will play a PIAA Class 6A tournament game at a site to be determined after Coatesville declined to host the game on Wednesday night..
Senior standout James Simples (left) of Lower Merion in a game earlier this season. Lower Merion and Wilson-West Lawn will play a PIAA Class 6A tournament game at a site to be determined after Coatesville declined to host the game on Wednesday night..Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Three Philadelphia-area high schools have declined to host PIAA state tournament boys’ basketball games because of concerns about the coronavirus.

The PIAA Class 5A game between West Chester Rustin and Unionville, originally scheduled to be played at Oxford High School, instead will be played Tuesday night at West Chester East at 7 p.m.

Oxford athletic director Mike Price confirmed that his school had declined to host the event after Unionville announced Monday night that it was closing its school as a precautionary measure.

In addition, Coatesville and Norristown have declined to host games on Wednesday night, the schools’ respective athletic directors have confirmed.

Coatesville has declined to host Wednesday night’s PIAA Class 6A game between Lower Merion and Wilson-West Lawn, Coatesville athletic director Brian Chenger said.

Chenger said the decision was made after Lower Merion announced it was closing school on Tuesday.

“We’re trying to find that balance, just be as careful as possible,” Chenger said.

A new site for the Lower Merion vs. Wilson-West Lawn has not been determined. A Lower Merion spokesperson said school officials were in contact with PIAA officials in an effort to establish a new site for the game. Coatesville still plans to host the PIAA Class 4A girls’ game Wednesday night between Bonner-Prendergast and Eastern York, Chenger said.

Norristown athletic director Tony Palladino confirmed that his school will not host the PIAA Class 6A game between Methacton and Abraham Lincoln. That game will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Willian Tennent High School, the PIAA announced.

The PIAA also announced that the Class 2A game Wednesday night between Math, Civics & Sciences and Wyalusing has been moved from Leighton Elementary School to Northwestern Lehigh High School, starting at 7 p.m.