Moniteau to forfeit 2 football games, but still will play them
CHERRY TWP — The Moniteau High School football team will forfeit its first two league games, but it still will play them.
The games are Karns City at Moniteau on Sept. 14 and Moniteau at Clarion Sept. 21.
“The games, as it states in our board motion, will be forfeitures, but we are going to play the games,” said Superintendent George Svolos. “Individual statistics will still count, but the team’s score will be a loss.”
Such a move may be unprecedented in Pennsylvania high school football, said Melissa Mertz, associate executive director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).
“I’ve been here 13 years and I’ve never heard of anyone forfeiting and still playing,” Mertz said. “We’ve talked to the superintendent at Moniteau, the school board, athletic director, solicitor ... We’ve strongly suggested to them that if they are forfeiting, to not play the games.
“There is no rule in the books that prohibits a forfeited game from being played. We don’t think it’s a good idea, but they can do it.”
The district held a special session on Aug. 28 for about six hours to discuss disciplinary action regarding reports of hazing happenings among Moniteau football players.
The forfeit action came out of that meeting.
The results of the special session can be found online at www.moniteau.k12.pa.us, under “Board of Directors,” then “Board Meeting Results.”
