Shady Side Academy may face WPIAL repercussions if football team forfeits game vs. Clairton | Sha…

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Shady Side Academy may face WPIAL repercussions if football team forfeits game vs. Clairton

Shady Side Academy head coach Andrew Geisler talks with his team after practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in Fox Chapel.

Shady Side Academy is standing behind its decision to call off a football game this week despite possible WPIAL repercussions.

A day after announcing that the team was short on players and would forfeit its Week 2 nonconference game at Clairton, the school reaffirmed its stance Thursday, citing an “unwavering commitment to student safety.” A team that forfeits a game without written WPIAL approval can be excluded from the playoffs and stripped of any section championship plaque.

“At Shady Side Academy, the health and well-being of our students will always come first,” Shady Side Academy athletic director Sean Simmons said in a statement. “Our players are teenagers, not professionals. Their safety is non-negotiable. We will not compromise our principles to satisfy the demands of an athletic league, and if sanctions are imposed, we are prepared to defend the dignity and safety of our student-athletes in every possible forum.”

Shady Side Academy postpones football game vs. Clairton citing "unprecedented injuries"

Shady Side Academy has postponed its football game this week against Clairton, citing "unprecedented injuries" that the team is dealing with.

The school announced Wednesday that it has postponed Friday night's scheduled game against Clairton, saying that nearly 20 of the team's 40 players are sidelined with injuries, "leaving the program unable to field a competitive roster safely."

 "Coaches and administrators emphasized that the unprecedented number of injuries makes competing this week impossible without compromising player safety," the school said.

Shady Side Academy head coach Andrew Geisler said the team's 2-0 start speaks volumes to the team's character, but nothing is more important than the student athletes' safety. 

Unbeaten Pa. football team forfeits game due to ‘rash of significant injuries’

Shady Side Academy announced Wednesday it has cancelled its scheduled Friday high school football team against Clairton due to what school officials called ‘a rash of significant injuries.’

A release from school officials said nearly 20 of the 40 players on the roster are unable to play this week due to injury, leaving the program unable to field a safe and competitive roster.

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