Penn Hills football team flattened by illness
PENN HILLS, Pa. (AP) – More than half the 97 players on the Penn Hills football team were sidelined by a viral-like illness that emptied camp in a matter of hours. While most teams this time of year are ramping up conditioning workouts and full-contact drills, head coach Neil Gordon walked through plays Friday with only 28 players.
“At one point, we had to have 30 or 35 kids (sick) at the same time,” Gordon said. “It was a little overwhelming with these kids falling over like flies.”
The Allegheny County Health Department was testing food and water consumed by the players at the football camp.
Team officials, however, suspect the culprit was a 24-hour stomach virus.
The team has been in close quarters since Sunday, sleeping in the high school gymnasium and eating at common tables.
About 40 players and a few coaches were struck by the viral-type illness early Thursday morning.
“One by one, they started dropping like dominoes,” said health department spokesman Guillermo Cole. “It affected a large number of players and some coaches very rapidly so we suspect it’s viral.”
None of the players was hospitalized. The health department has recommended over over-the-counter remedies for those with more severe symptoms.
“We expect this to clear up within a day or two,” Cole said. “It’s really going to be up to the players and their parents as to when they return to the field.”
Team trainers and coaches spent the early morning hours tending to players that were too weak to walk, Gordon said.
“We had them outside in the morning and we wanted them to move about 15 yards away to the shade, but they couldn’t do it,” he said.
Players were drinking fluids Friday and would only be walking through plays or watching films Friday afternoon, Gordon said.
The Indians were scheduled to play a scrimmage against Mt. Lebanon on Saturday.
“We’re going to have the bodies there, but I don’t think we’re going to give Mt. Lebanon the look they would like to have,” Gordon said.
Penn Hills finished 8-3 last year, 4-2 in conference.
A flu-like illness sidelined 19 Virginia Tech players Thursday, forcing the Hokies to cancel morning and afternoon practices. Dr. Gunnar Brolinson, team physician, said the virus has been spreading through the team since Friday.
The illness, a type of gastroenteritis, followed an outbreak that occurred during a cheerleading camp at Virginia Tech last week.