High School Football Program Gives up Under Strange Circumstances, Issues Statement

Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh has been forced into a tough spot by circumstances, but it did not wait to explain what comes next. The high school started its season with a close 28-26 victory over Greensburg Central Catholic. That victory was then followed by absolute domination over Burrell with a 30-point win, with a score of 56-26. But they won’t be able to carry on the momentum into their 3rd game. The Bulldogs announced they will forfeit Friday’s game against Clairton because an unusual wave of injuries has left the roster threadbare.

Nearly twenty of roughly forty players are sidelined this week, which is too many to field a safe or competitive lineup. “Our players have battled through injuries and adversity with heart and resilience, and their 2-0 start speaks volumes about their character,” head coach Andrew Geisler said in the official statement as shared by WPIAL Insider on X. “But nothing is more important than their safety. This is a temporary setback, not a reflection of what this team can accomplish together this season.”

This injury bug has undercut that progress, piling up across positions. Losing key contributors during the Burrell game, including leading rusher Maddox Harvey, turned a depth concern into a full-blown availability crisis. By midweek, medical updates added up to a simple conclusion. With nearly half the roster out, there was no safe path to kickoff.

The opponent makes the choice feel heavier. Clairton is never just another date on the calendar. The Bears expect to contend every year, and they carry the kind of speed and physicality that can punish thin depth charts. The memory of last season’s 50-0 loss to Clairton still lives in the program, a reminder of how far the gap can feel when a game slips early and keeps slipping.

Market projections before the forfeit had already framed the matchup as an uphill climb, with predictive models leaning heavily toward Clairton as 48-12 favorites. The Bears’ form has been uneven but explosive in stretches, starting 1-1 with a home loss to Imani Christian followed by a 79-0 demolition of Serra Catholic.

Once the forfeit became official, Clairton turned its attention to finding a replacement opponent, keeping its sideline ready and its Friday open for anyone willing to line up. Clairton coach Wayne Wade expressed his disappointment with the situation. “I’m disappointed because my kids work just as hard as every other program to want to be successful. My kids miss their stats, they miss their film, their recruiting (opportunities). All of that stuff is now lost for them. And what if it happens a couple of more times?”

Now, the two sides must agree on a suitable date to reschedule the game. If they fail to do so, the game will be forfeited in favor of Clairton.

This is not an isolated story. Across the region, smaller rosters are wrestling with availability and attrition. Serra Catholic’s staff has been candid about navigating a recent week with only 14 healthy players and multiple starters out, which is not a sustainable way to play a season. When two or three injuries hit the same position group, the next-man-up ethos runs into real limits.

Shady Side Academy will use the extra days to get bodies right and reset the plan. The schedule points to a return on September 12 at home against Ligonier Valley, the first of a heavy conference stretch that will shape the year. The early 2-0 start matters because it proves the rebuild is taking root after a 2-8 season in 2024.