The high school football game between Mexico and Centralia scheduled for Friday night at Mexico High School was canceled just hours before kickoff after a Mexico player received a positive test result for the coronavirus.

The decision by administrators to call off the game was made “out of an abundance of caution,” Bulldogs athletic director Travis Blevins wrote in an announcement.

Mexico coach Steve Haag said he was notified early Friday afternoon that a player had taken a COVID-19 test, and the Mexico athletic department began plans for contact tracing for any other players with potential exposure to the infected athlete.

By about 2:30 p.m., the school received confirmation that the player’s test had returned positive, prompting the cancellation of the opening week matchup.

“That’s the right call at this time to keep our players and Centralia’s players safe,” Haag said during a phone interview shortly after the announcement. “This is something we need to get used to right now because we don’t have any answers when somebody gets (COVID-19). It could be a vaccine, antibiotics that take care of it (in the future), but we have to be safe now and work with what we have. Hopefully keep players safe and maybe get a few football games in.”

The infected individual will self-isolate as recommended by the Audrain County Health Department, Blevins wrote in an email to Mexico families and staff.

The local health department will lead contact tracing efforts.

“We will continue to closely monitor this situation and provide additional information as needed and available,” Blevins wrote. “There is a possibility others in the community and in our district will test positive in the coming weeks and months. We encourage every student and staff member to monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.”