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 is the second consecutive week that a Greater Akron football team has had to cancel a game. Several injuries and a bacterial infection have depleted the team’s roster, prompting the administration to prioritize player health and safety. The school will continue to evaluate player health weekly and maintain communication with upcoming opponents about the situation.
Akron, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (STVM) has decided to cancel its Week 8 varsity football game against Harvest Prep due to player injuries and illnesses that have impacted the team’s roster. This marks the second consecutive week that a Greater Akron football team has had to cancel a game, as Barberton also scrapped its game against Highland the previous week.
The cancellation comes after STVM’s bye week, following the earlier decision to cancel the Youngstown Ursuline season. The administration emphasized that the health, safety, and well-being of student-athletes are their highest priority, and this decision was made after careful consideration.
Several players on the STVM varsity football team have suffered from injuries this season, with some being season-ending. Additionally, a number of players are currently dealing with a bacterial skin infection that further depleted the team’s ability to field a competitive roster. The combination of significant injuries and health issues has left the team unable to compete safely.
In making the decision, STVM consulted with the athletic training staff from Akron Children’s Hospital. The analysis of the health situation led to the conclusion that canceling the game was the best way to prioritize player recovery and reassess the team’s ability to continue for the rest of the season.
Moving forward, STVM will evaluate the health of its players weekly to determine when they are ready to compete in future games. The school is also maintaining ongoing communication with upcoming opponents to ensure transparency about the team’s situation.
Despite the cancellation of the football game, all other athletic events and school activities at STVM will continue as scheduled. The cancellation is noted as disappointing for the administration, as it impacts not only the student-athletes but also the marching band, cheerleaders, fans, parents, and families who are part of the STVM community.
St. Vincent-St. Mary currently holds an 0-6 record for the season and is scheduled to play Walsh Jesuit in Week 9. The game against Harvest Prep will be the sixth game STVM has had to cancel this season for various reasons. Prior to this season, the Fighting Irish recorded shutout losses in their opening games against Nordonia, Perry, and Hudson.
The team’s last game took place on September 26, where they suffered a 28-14 loss to Elyria Catholic. Earlier in October, STVM also canceled a game against Ursuline due to a scandal involving multiple federal lawsuits and serious allegations of misconduct. This series of challenges has significantly impacted the team’s performance in this football season.
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Additional Resources
- 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
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