Game on despite report

WASILLA — Swine flu won’t interfere with Wasilla High School hosting its first game of the prep football season, WHS officials said on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, a member of the Bartlett High School football team was reported to have been hit with H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu. But Wasilla’s season-opening game against Bartlett tonight at Veterans Memorial Field will go on as planned, WHS assistant principal Dan Michael said.

“Every precaution is being taken,” Michael said. “With all the talks we’ve had, nothing warrants canceling this game at all.”

Wasilla first-year head coach Glenn Nelson said the Warrior coaching staff has simply stressed to their players to be conscientious of their health.

“We talked to the kids about getting good rest, taking care of equipment,” Nelson said. “We’ve talked to the school nurse. We’ve taken every precaution.”

Overall, Nelson said he wants to see two healthy teams hit Veterans Memorial tonight.

“They’re a top team,” Nelson said of the Golden Bears, who are ranked No. 2 in the first Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network prep football poll of the season. “We want them to come with all of their players at full strength.”

As far as the potential threat of swine flu, Michael said WHS does have a risk management plan in place, but dealing with a potential pandemic is very new to local schools.

“This is definitely new territory for us,” Michael said.

According to information provided by the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 322 reported cases of the H1N1 virus in Alaska. More than 250 of those reports are from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.