Was West G poisoned prior to playing Perry?

That’s what some are wondering in an article today in the PD:

In the early morning hours Friday before the Wolverines’ homecoming game, nearly 70 people close to or on the football team, including dozens of players, became ill in what is being investigated as a case of possible poisoning.

The common factor appears to be a team meal the victims shared Thursday night prepared by a local restaurant.

Brothers and teammates Anthony and Joey Pinto both woke up at 3 a.m. Friday and were sick all morning.

“I thought it was something we ate as a family,” said Anthony, a senior. “Then in the morning I found out all the football players were sick, and I’m like, wow, this is really fishy.”

But it wasn’t fish. The team shared a meal of prime rib, potatoes, vegetables and cookies. Rumors have floated around the school that the food was tainted, but no one has said it was poisoned.

“There’s a twofold investigation,” Chester police chief Mark Purchase said. “The Geauga County Health Department is taking a look at it in terms of bacteria, and we’re tracking down rumors to see how things may have started.”

West Geauga Superintendent Anthony Podojil said health department officials discussed with him Tuesday the possibility of a virus spread by someone who handled the food or was near the food, “like what happens on cruise ships, and there’s nothing that could be done about it.”

The idea that someone would intentionally poison a high school sports team is pretty far fetched. This isn’t Saved by the Bell. What’s much more likely is that this is a case of food poisoning.

It happens every day. I’ve had food poisoning twice. It’s terrible, but it’s rarely intentional. Now, if it is intentional, that’s pretty dispecable.

Your thoughts?