St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Cancels Football Game

News Summary

St. Vincent-St. Mary High School has canceled its Week 8 varsity football game against Harvest Prep due to player injuries and illnesses. This decision follows a bye week and affects the team’s already struggling season, with an 0-6 record. The administration emphasized the health and safety of the student-athletes as a top priority, citing a bacterial infection and several season-ending injuries. The cancellation marks the sixth game the school has had to withdraw from this season, reflecting ongoing challenges for the team.

Akron, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (STVM) has canceled its upcoming Week 8 varsity football game against Harvest Prep due to a combination of player injuries and illnesses. This decision comes after a bye week and marks the second consecutive week in which a Greater Akron football team has had to withdraw from a scheduled game, following Barberton’s cancellation of its match against Highland the previous week.

The school administration has emphasized that the health, safety, and well-being of their student-athletes is a top priority. Several members of the varsity football team have sustained injuries, with some being season-ending. Additionally, a bacterial skin infection has impacted the health of additional players. The cumulative effect of these injuries and illnesses has significantly reduced the team’s roster and their ability to compete safely.

Prior to reaching the decision to cancel the game, STVM consulted with the Akron Children’s Hospital athletic training staff to assess the situation. The cancellation is seen as a vital step to provide the team with the necessary time to focus on recovery and to evaluate the future path of the season. The administration also indicated that they will evaluate the players’ health weekly to determine their readiness for subsequent games.

In addition to maintaining communication with future opponents, STVM has reassured all parties involved that all other athletic events and school activities will continue as scheduled despite the cancellation of the football game. The administration expressed disappointment over this decision, acknowledging its impact on the student-athletes, marching band, cheerleaders, fans, and families.

This season has been challenging for St. Vincent-St. Mary, which currently holds an 0-6 record. The team’s last game occurred on September 26, where they faced a 28-14 loss against Elyria Catholic. The Fighting Irish had previously experienced a string of shutout losses in their earlier games against Nordonia, Perry, and Hudson. The cancellation of the game against Harvest Prep represents the sixth game that St. Vincent-St. Mary has had to cancel this season for various reasons.

Earlier this month, STVM also canceled a game against Youngstown Ursuline due to a scandal involving multiple federal lawsuits and serious allegations of misconduct related to the program. Such challenges have compounded the difficulties faced by the struggling football team this year.

Looking ahead, St. Vincent-St. Mary is scheduled to play Walsh Jesuit in Week 9, with hopes that their players will recover in time to return to the field safely.

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• Beacon Journal
• Wikipedia: High School Football in the United States
• WKYC
• Google Search: St Vincent-St Mary high school football
• SI.com
• Google News: Ohio high school football
• Cleveland 19
• Encyclopedia Britannica: High School Football