MANCHESTER, N.H. – It looks like there will be a Turkey Bowl game in Manchester this year…or at least it probably looks that way.
In a 14-0 vote, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) approved a show of support to allow the Manchester School District to work with the Manchester Health Department in planning an “extra” football game to be played after the conclusion of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association postseason.
Although that game is likely to take place on Thanksgiving, the exact date of the game was not placed within the motion.
The game was proposed as a way to allow one last game for Manchester Central seniors, whose season was cut short after declining to participate in a postseason play-in game against Concord last Friday.
That decision came after it was discovered a player on the team tested positive for COVID-19, with other players deciding to quarantine in solidarity with their teammate.
Arthur Beaudry (Ward 9), felt it was appropriate to allow Central another game, but not on Thanksgiving, which has traditionally been between the two schools in Manchester with the best records.
Manchester Memorial and Trinity ended their regular seasons with 3-2 records, Manchester West finished 1-3 and Central ended 0-4.
Trinity is expected to play a Thanksgiving game against St. Thomas Aquinas, following last year’s contest, and West declined to participate in post-season play.
The decision to not specify whether the game would be held on Thanksgiving or not also included travel considerations for families of the game’s players. Regardless of the date, no fans will be allowed to attend the game.
This topic followed a presentation by Manchester School District Athletic Director Christine Pariseau-Telge regarding current expectations for winter sports.
Telge said there are 40 winter sports teams between Manchester’s three high schools, with another 16 teams in Manchester’s middle schools and 28 at Manchester’s elementary schools.
Indoor track is unlikely to occur due to a lack of facilities and Elementary School basketball is also infeasible due to basketball courts at Elementary Schools currently set up as extra classroom space to provide social distancing.
Swimming will also be difficult as the city’s normal facilities are Southern New Hampshire University are not currently available, although teams might participate in “virtual” meets where swimmers participate individually against a clock rather than other swimmers.
With fall sports, teams had been able to keep within a “geographic bubble” to minimize exposure to potential COVID-19 carriers in other parts of the state, but Pariseau-Telge said that such a bubble would be impossible for Nordic and alpine skiing and nearly impossible for ice hockey.
She expects that the season will be five weeks long and that non training will be conducted during Christmas Vacation week.
Pariseau-Telge also said that all indoor sports would likely proceed without any fans, but that additional public access television camera operators will be needed to make sure that parents and fans can watch games remotely.
UPDATE: 11/18/20 – Manchester School District Communications Director Andrew Tolland told Manchester Ink Link there will be no Turkey Bowl game this year.
