Editor's Note: East Palestine Boys Varsity Basketball Team play Wellsville at home on Friday and the district has not heard about any concerns from the Tigers. Friday is the boy's senior night. 

The Bristol Girls Basketball Team will not play its tournament game at East Palestine, scheduled for Thursday, February 16. The game has been ruled a "forfeit" and East Palestine advances to the second round.

Bristol Local Schools Superintendent Chris Dray told 21 Sports parents of Bristol's Girls Varsity Basketball team voiced their concern about playing in East Palestine over health concerns after the train derailment that took place on February 3rd. 

"Some parents expressed concern about going there," said Dray who added he's been in contact with East Palestine school officials for more than a week.

Bristol did ask the Northeast Ohio District Athletic Board to play the game at neutral site but that request was denied. The district then went to the Ohio High School Athletic Association in Columbus and were told this morning the request was denied.

East Palestine's Athletic Director Dwayne Pavkovich told 21 News they were given the thumbs by the Northeast Ohio District Athletic Board to host athletic events. This week, East Palestine has already hosted 2 middle school games.

"All the ratings and data we were receiving were below the EPA accepted marks. Our student athletes will continue to practice and play in East Palestine," said Dwayne Pavkovich, Athletic Director and Assistant Superintendent for East Palestine City Schools. "We don't have any concerns."

"This is a cause for concern for everyone," Dray said. "Our concern was that we wouldn't be able to field a team based on the responses we were getting."

Ohio High School Athletic Association spokesman Tim Stried said, "We were told by local, state, and federal health officials that the school was safe to host extracurricular activities."

"There's a lot of opinions about what's going on here in East Palestine," Pavkovich added. "I wouldn't have any reservations about my son participating here in East Palestine but I do understand the concerns of parents."

"We would have liked to see the game played at a neutral site but we're just looking ahead," Dray added. 

Bristol was the No. 15 seed and East Palestine the No. 9 seed. Because the game wasn't played Thursday, East Palestine advances to the second round of the tournament.

East Palestine Boys Varsity Basketball Team play Wellsville at home on Friday and the district has not heard about any concerns from the Tigers. Friday is the boy's senior night.