Springdale joins trend of teams being unable to play football due to lack of healthy players

Maddox Harvey looks for space during Shady Side Academy's football game earlier this season. The Bulldogs, who are 4-1, were forced to forfeit a game to Clairton earlier this season due to a lack of players. Josh RIzzo/PIttsburgh Preps and Colleges

The Springdale football program announced this week that it was "postponing" its game with Leechburg this Friday due to a lack of healthy players available. It is a ridiculous way the WPIAL attempts to classify these games. During the high school football season, there are no bye weeks to make up games.

But the WPIAL has now faced three contests that were delayed due to a lack of healthy players. Shady Side Academy said it couldn't play Clairton in Week 2 due to a lack of healthy players, while Rochester said the same thing about its game with Neshannock in Week 3.

The hope is that these games could be made up on a weekday, but it doesn't seem practical. It also lacks fairness for a team that has ambitions of making the the postseason. The Blue Devils are 4-1 and are in contention for the Eastern Conference title. But Leechburg will now be forced to sit out a week and rest.

The Blue Devils picked up their most impressive win of the season last week, outmuscling Jeanette 36-27. 

Josh Rizzo is the editor of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted at [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.