For the second consecutive week, a Greater Akron football team had to cancel its game because of injuries and illness.
This time, St. Vincent-St. Mary had to scrap a Week 8 game at Harvest Prep (2-4). Last week, Barberton canceled its game with Highland.
The STVM announcement comes a week after the Fighting Irish had a bye when Youngstown Ursuline canceled its season.
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“Dear STVM Families, at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, the health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes is always our highest priority,” STVM administration said in a news release. “Over the course of the season, several players on our varsity football team have endured injuries, some of which are season-ending. On top of that, we recently learned that additional players have been impacted by a bacterial skin infection. The combination of injuries and illness has affected our roster and our ability to safely compete, creating an evolving, ongoing health and well-being situation.
“In consultation with Akron Children’s Hospital athletic training staff, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this Friday’s varsity game against Harvest Preparatory School. This gives us the opportunity to focus on the recovery and well-being of our players while assessing the path forward for the remainder of the season. While our goal is to compete in our remaining games, we will carefully evaluate the roster and the health and well-being of our players to determine our ability to safely participate in upcoming contests. We are also in communication with our upcoming opponents to ensure full transparency and proper planning. All other sporting events and school activities will continue as scheduled.
“We share in the disappointment this brings to our student-athletes, marching band, cheerleaders, fans, parents, and families, but our priority remains clear: the health, safety, and overall well-being of our students and broader Irish community. We will continue to provide timely information as decisions are made. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.”
The Irish, who are 0-6 this season, have a Week 9 game scheduled against Walsh Jesuit.
OHSAA football games canceled in Greater Akron in 2025
STVM’s cancelation this week becomes the sixth game canceled this season for an assortment of reasons. Here are the six:
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: St. Vincent-St. Mary cancels football game as injuries, skin infections deplete roster
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
