Filling out a schedule was already tough enough for the Bluefield Beavers who were scheduled to play five teams from Virginia.
Covid only complicated the matter, forcing the Beavers’ hand.
Bluefield assistant Fritz Simon told Lootpress Wednesday that the Beavers had elected to forfeit their game against Beckley that was originally scheduled for September in an effort to become playoff eligible.
According to WVSSAC rules, teams must complete eight games to become playoff eligible and the Beavers were on track to only have seven after a quarantine, followed by Mercer County’s decision moving to remote learning for two weeks, derailed the September schedule.
Bluefield made an effort to reschedule the game with Beckley, even offering to travel to Beckley but the two programs couldn’t come to an agreement on a date to make it up.
In all the Beavers went 35 days in between playing Princeton on Sept. 3 and Graham, Va. on Oct. 8.
During that span games against Richlands, Va., Beckley and Pulaski, Va. were lost nd unable to be rescheduled.
Bluefield, which was rated No. 17 in Class AA falls to 3-3 with contests against Ridgeview, Va. and Mingo Central remaining. Should the Beavers complete those games and slot into the top 16 of Class AA, they’ll be eligible for the playoffs.
Beckley improves to 3-5 with the forfeit with an outside chance of making the playoffs should the Flying Eagles beat Oak Hill and South Charleston.
