David Barber just celebrated his 39^th anniversary with the newspapers in Van Zandt County on Aug. 10. And he was looking forward to covering the 2021 season opener of the Van Vandals last Friday night in Palestine.

It would have been his 444^th consecutive Van football game. The Vandals went on to win 45-16 against Palestine. But David Barber missed his first football game ever since joining the newspapers on Oct. 10, 1982. Two weeks ago, he tested positive for COVID-19. And as much as he had hoped to be able to watch the game, he was sidelined at home.

A 443-game streak had come to an end.

David Barber is a sales rep and a reporter for Van Zandt Newspapers and a 1977 graduate of Van High School. The Vandal’s coach, Jared Moffatt, told the Tyler Morning Telegraph that he tried to think of every possible way to get Barber to keep the streak alive. “He loves his job, and he loves writing about Van football,” Moffatt told the paper.

Barber had hoped to be back this Friday night to cover the Vandals against Malakoff in Van. But his hopes were dashed.

As of Thursday, Sept. 2, he was still testing positive for COVID-19. “I am just waiting for a negative result so I can cover the next game,” He said he felt fine and that his wife has already tested negative.

Barber says he thoroughly enjoys covering games. “There is nothing like experiencing a Friday night football game,” he said.