FOXBURG — Injuries and a dwindling number of available players have forced Allegheny-ClarionValley High School to cancel its football game with Karns City on Friday.

David McDeavitt, A-C Valley High School principal, said he called Karns City Principal David Beck on Monday to tell him of the situation.

Karns City will receive a forfeit victory as a result of this decision.

"We only had 15 kids willing to play and three of them are dealing with pretty significant injuries,"McDeavitt said. "My first priority has to be the health and welfare of our students.

"I'm in charge of the athletic program and it was my decision not to play this game."

A-C Valley is 0-8 this season and has been outscored 322-60, including 138-20 in the past three games. The Falcons football program has dropped 30 consecutive games, dating back to 2005.

McDeavitt said second-year head football coach Gary Pinkerton "wanted to move forward and play this game. But after appraising him of our numbers situation, we were in mutual agreement not to play."

A-C Valley began the football season with roughly 30 players. As the year went on, some players quit the team, others were removed for disciplinary reasons and others were injured.

Karns City is 7-1 this season and had a 27-game regular season conference winning streak ended last week by a 35-34 loss to Moniteau.

Several years ago Karns City received a forfeiture from Clarion-Limestone because of to a lack of available players. That also occurred late in the season.

"This is not a case where A-C Valley doesn't want to play Karns City,"Karns City athletic director Tom Wagner said. "When you don't have the numbers ... It is what it is. I feel for their situation."

Karns City will close its regular season Oct. 31 at Wilmington. A-C Valley does not have another game this year.

McDeavitt said the Falcons will field a football team next season.

"That's certainly in our plans," he said.