Tift County football coach hospitalized for COVID-19, pneumonia

High school football

Credit: For the AJC

Credit: For the AJC

High school football

Tift County football coach Ashley Anders is hospitalized for COVID-19 and pneumonia, the South Georgia school confirmed Thursday evening.

Anders' colleague and friend, Oconee County coach Travis Noland, posted a Tweet on Anders' condition earlier Thursday. Noland is the president of the Georgia High School Football Coaches Association.

Tift County High later released a statement saying that Anders is a patient at Tift Regional Medical Center.

''Coach Anders started developing symptoms this week and immediately quarantined,'' the statement read. "He has not been in physical contact with the football team since last Friday. Please keep Coach Anders and his family in your prayers as he battles these illnesses.''

Anders is the second South Georgia coach this week to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Statesboro coach Jeff Kaiser was released Wednesday afternoon after an overnight stay. Kaiser confirmed to ajc.com that he had experienced moderate COVID symptoms for nine days. Statesboro canceled its opener with Wayne County last week but resumed practice Tuesday.

Tift County shut down practice temporarily earlier this month but played its opener last week against Crisp County. Crisp won 7-0. Tift is scheduled to play Valdosta at home on Friday.