Revere vs Akron Garfield Football Game Canceled

News Summary

The scheduled high school football game between Revere and Akron Garfield has been canceled due to health concerns involving players from Revere High School. The decision, announced by Revere’s athletic director and principal, follows confirmed cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease among two players. While Revere officials expressed intent to proceed, Akron Garfield opted out for safety reasons. This cancellation reflects ongoing health vigilance in high school sports, as both teams sought to maintain their winning records early in the season.

Bath Township, Ohio – The high school football game between Revere and Akron Garfield, scheduled for Friday night, has been canceled due to health concerns involving players from Revere High School. The cancellation was announced through a statement on social media by Revere’s athletic director Don Seeker and Principal Doug Farris.

Akron Garfield’s athletic director communicated to Revere that their team has opted not to participate in the game. The matchup was set to take place at Joseph F. Pappano Stadium in Bath Township, where both teams were looking forward to maintaining their 1-0 season records after winning their respective season openers.

Concerns arose when two players from Revere confirmed cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Despite these cases, school officials from Revere had initially expressed their intent to proceed with the game. They indicated that Akron Garfield was informed of the health issues prior to their decision to cancel the game, stating that they disagreed with the cancellation outcome.

Currently, Revere officials state that there is no outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease within the wider student body at Revere High School. In light of this situation, Revere’s administration is exploring whether the canceled game could be classified as a forfeit win for their team, the Minutemen.

This cancellation is part of a broader pattern, following another recent game cancellation involving Norton and Lawrence Northwest, which was also prompted by health concerns among student-athletes. These events underscore ongoing health vigilance in high school sports, particularly as schools aim to protect the well-being of their players.

Both Revere and Akron Garfield have shown promise early in the season, with past records highlighting Revere’s advancement to the Division III playoffs in each of the last two years. The anticipation for the game and the associated festivities has been stymied by health concerns, resulting in the postponement of Revere’s Athletic Hall of Fame and Youth Night celebrations to a later date.

As high school sports continue into the fall season, maintaining player health and safety remains a top priority for athletic departments across the region. The ongoing dialogue among coaches, school officials, and health advisors is crucial as they navigate these unexpected health challenges.

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• WKYC: Revere vs Akron Garfield Football Game Canceled
• Wikipedia: High School Football
• The Columbus Dispatch: Ben Christman Obituary
• Google Search: Ben Christman
• Buckeye Sports: Ben Christman Dies
• Google Scholar: Ohio State Football
• Richland Source: Ohio Boys Football
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Football
• On3: Details on Ben Christman’s Death
• Google News: UNLV Football