The hopes for defending the Class 3A state championship are becoming slimmer by the day for the Park City boys' soccer team.

Because a middle-aged child tested positive for the H1N1 swine flu on Saturday, the first case on record in Utah, the Park City school district is closed until at least May 10.

The closure affects all sports for Park City, but is more pronounced for the soccer team, which should be in the midst of a playoff run, but already postponed last Thursday's first-round home matchup with Carbon until Tuesday and is now stuck in a holding pattern and wondering when or if they will be allowed to play.

According to Miners coach Caro Caro, the Park City school board will meet on Monday to decide whether or not to let the soccer team play on Tuesday. Caro said that he will ask the board to allow the two teams to face off at a neutral site, and to have each player on his team tested for the flu. If the players test negative, Caro will ask the school board to let his team defend its title.

If that doesn't work, Caro said, it will be up to the Utah High School Activities Association to wait for the school district to open its doors, an unlikely scenario since the May 10 date comes one day after the scheduled championship match at Jordan High.

"If the players all test negative, we should be allowed to play," Caro said. "I've never spent so much time in my life answering questions from parents and players. This is very frustrating. All I want is for our seniors to be able to defend their state title. I feel for them because I want them to have the opportunity to show they can compete. We just want to play."

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