By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–First year Union City High School head football coach Nick Markle came up empty when trying to find a late opponent for the Golden Tornadoes’ 2020 season opener.
It wasn’t from a lack of trying.
Markle contacted 18 schools in an attempt to find a fill-in for Lake County, which canceled its Week 1 game against UC last weekend when two players tested positive for coronavirus. The entire Falcon team was then quarantined, according LCHS Athletic Director Mike Moore.
The Tornado skipper found no takers in his quest to find an opener and a 10th regular season game for the Purple and Gold. He reached out to both public and private schools and programs from larger and smaller classifications.
“We left no stone unturned,” a disappointed Markle said. “I made contact with everyone who either had a scheduled open date or ended up with one because somebody canceled on them. A lot of programs were scrambling to find games, just like we were. We just couldn’t find anybody.
“I hate it for the guys, because they’ve worked so hard and have been so diligent in their preparations to play a Week 1 game. More than anything, I wanted them to have the opportunity to play every game on our schedule. In these uncertain times, we really don’t know how many games we’ll ultimately get the chance to play.”
Union City is credited with a victory in the aftermath of Lake County canceling and will have an official 1-0 record heading its Week 2 game against new-opponent University School of Jackson. USJ, along with South Fulton, was added to this year’s altered schedule when Memphis entries MLK and Booker T. Washington pulled out due to Shelby County athletic restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.