News Summary
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School has canceled its Week 8 varsity football game against Harvest Prep due to an outbreak of injuries and illnesses within the team. This is the second consecutive week for a Greater Akron team to cancel a game, alongside Barberton’s recent cancellation. The decision prioritizes the health and safety of student-athletes as the program struggles with multiple injuries and a bacterial skin infection affecting the team’s roster. Although disappointed, STVM is focusing on player recovery and assessing future eligibility.
Akron, Ohio – St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (STVM) has announced the cancellation of its Week 8 varsity football game against Harvest Prep due to an outbreak of injuries and illnesses within the team. This development marks the second consecutive week in which a Greater Akron football team has canceled a game, following Barberton’s cancellation of its match against Highland the previous week.
The decision to cancel comes after a bye week for STVM, amid ongoing health challenges and the recent cancellation of Youngstown Ursuline’s season. The administration emphasizes that the “health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes is always our highest priority.” The school’s leadership expressed disappointment over the cancellation, recognizing the impact it has on student-athletes, the marching band, cheerleaders, fans, parents, and families.
STVM’s varsity football team has faced numerous challenges this season, with multiple players suffering injuries, some of which are season-ending. Additionally, an outbreak of a bacterial skin infection has further impacted the team, leading to a significant depletion of their roster and making it unsafe for them to compete. The administration consulted with the Akron Children’s Hospital athletic training staff prior to making the final decision on the game cancellation.
This cancellation allows the STVM football program to focus on player recovery and assess the path forward for the remainder of the season. STVM officials have committed to evaluating the health and readiness of the players on a weekly basis to determine their eligibility for future games. The school is maintaining open communication with upcoming opponents to ensure transparency regarding their situation.
Despite the cancellation of the football game, all other athletic events and school activities will continue as scheduled. St. Vincent-St. Mary currently holds an 0-6 record for the season and is slated to face Walsh Jesuit in Week 9. The cancellation of the game against Harvest Prep will mark the sixth game that STVM has canceled this season, attributed to various reasons including health concerns and previous incidents involving the school.
Throughout the season, the Fighting Irish have faced difficulties on the field, including multiple shutout losses in their opening games against teams such as Nordonia, Perry, and Hudson. The team’s last game, which took place on September 26, concluded with a 28-14 loss to Elyria Catholic. Earlier this month, STVM also canceled its game against Ursuline amid scandalous allegations involving multiple federal lawsuits and serious misconduct related to the rival school.
In conclusion, while players and coaches express disappointment over the cancellation of the Harvest Prep game, the health and safety of student-athletes remain the foremost priority for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School as they navigate this challenging 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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