Putnam County unlikely to play basketball this winter

The dominoes continue to fall.

One day after St. Bede announced it will not start basketball on Nov. 16, the first day of the scheduled IHSA season, Putnam County is heading in the same direction.

Putnam County Athletic Director Chris Newsome told Shaw Media Thursday morning that all signs are pointing to a recommendation from superintendent Carl Carlson to the PC board to follow the most recent guidance from IDPH, ISBE and the governor's office as it relates to basketball season, and not play this winter.

Nov. 16 is the next scheduled board meeting for PC, and Newsome said, "the board ultimately will vote to go with the recommendation or to go against the guidance."

Newsome said, unofficially, when he took a straw poll of Tri-County Conference athletic directors Wednesday at their meeting, seven of eight schools where fairly certain their schools would not go against the guidance of IDPH, ISBE and the governor either.

Ottawa Marquette announced last week, under the direction of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, it would opt out of the winter season. Other schools in the umbrella of the Diocese include Rock Island Alleman, Bloomington Central Catholic, Peoria Notre Dame and St. Bede Academy.

St. Bede followed suit Tuesday, though athletic director Nick McGlaughlin said if the IDPH changed its stance, the academy would, too.

Bureau Valley Athletic Director Brad Bickett also said it is unlikely BV would go against the IDPH's guidance as well.

Ottawa Township High School Athletic Director Mike Cooper sent a letter to parents and the school community that its season has been put on an indefinite hold.

Hall and Princeton have yet to make an announcement of their intentions, though Hall Athletic Director Eric Bryant expected a special board meeting to be scheduled soon.

The Little Ten Conference had a meeting Wednesday to discus the situation. Robbie Fox of DePue, which has joined LaMoille in the Little Ten this year, said it seems all schools are waiting on their next board meetings to make that decision.

"It would be ideal if at that point, the IDPH and IHSA have the same opinion on the sports season," Fox said.

The DePue School Board is scheduled to meet Nov. 20.

The Chicago Public League last week announced it was canceling its season.

One school who is on board to play is Sherrard. Its school board made the decision to play basketball by a 4-3 vote Wednesday.