WHEELING — The annual OVAC All-Star game has been canceled. Originally set for Sunday at Red Devils Stadium in St. Clairsville, OVAC All-Star Game Director Gary Watt had to make the difficult, but inevitable, decision to not move forward with the event due to the increase of positive cases of the coronavirus across the area.

Watt, who was also the St. Clairsvilleás boys soccer coach for 11 years before hanging up the whistle last year, sent out a press release to the athletes, coaches and media. It reads:

“It is my unfortunate responsibility to inform everyone that due to the recent increase in positive COVID cases across our Valley, the 25th Annual OVAC Senior All-Star Soccer Classic has been canceled for Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Like everyone else, I wish the circumstances of this season were different, but they are not. So with the same indomitable spirit that has brought us this far, we will move forward responsibly. It has not been rescheduled but I am confident there will be discussions about that possibility.

“So, for now, take care of yourself and look out for those around you…let’s get through this together.”

Last year, it was a spilt between the Buckeye State and the Mountaineer State. West Virginia won on the girls side in a 9-0 rout while Ohio secured a 2-1 victory in the boys’ contest.

Watt, though, is not ready to throw in the towel of not having a game all together.

“There’s a couple of scenarios we are considering, Watt said. “We are going to be meeting on Nov.19 and that’s the main subject. We used to do it in the spring. I think the first Sunday in May. There were conversations that we could also do it in the summer time.”

Watt also stated the only problem with doing it in the spring is the interference with spring sports. If an athlete was selected to play in the all-star game, but was participating in a spring sport, they wouldn’t be able to play.”

Watt also said, the soccer all-star game could be played in the summer like how football is.

“I’m confident one of those will be the selections. But it won’t be in the fall,” Watt said.

During the game, Coach of the Year Awards and Player of the Year awards are also given out.