Piner High School’s Saturday matchup against Archie Williams High School never happened. The team decided to forfeit the game over a reported shortage of healthy players. As per head coach Adam Rosenstein, they had only five healthy linemen ready to play. But the timing is hard to ignore…
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The cancellation, as per reports, came just a day after more than 200 students walked out of class to protest a captain’s social media post about sexual assault.
The controversy erupted after Piner Junior-Senior High School’s team captain shared an Instagram post earlier this month declaring “Free the Cornell 7.” That phrase is associated with seven students accused of alleged group sexual assault of a Cornell University student at a fraternity party in 2024
The demonstration was so that the captain wouldn’t escape accountability. The march began at approximately 2:30 p.m., with participants covering about 2.5 miles before reaching the Santa Rosa City Schools district offices. White shirts decorated with red and teal handprints were a common sight among those taking part.
The students raised concerns that the team captain’s post, whose name has been withheld because he is a minor, appeared to normalise sexual violence. They also questioned whether school officials were genuinely listening to their grievances and taking their concerns seriously.
“He doesn’t deserve to be representing us,” Piner senior Aiyanna, who declined to provide her last name, told The Press Democrat. “None of us stand with what he’s saying.”
Further, Piner junior Erika Hernandez mentioned: “Everyone has a voice. Everyone is safe to speak out how they want to speak out. It’s important to tell everyone how you feel.”
And just a day later, Piner High School forfeited its game against Archie Williams.
Further, the New York Post reported that an unnamed parent of a Piner cheerleader said the team captain was not permitted to attend Thursday’s team dinner. But it is not known if the player faced any punishment or disciplinary actions.
District spokesperson Patrick Gannon said Superintendent Monica Thomas, Board of Trustees President Nick Caston, and other school district officials sat down with students following Friday’s walkout to hear their grievances.
That said, neither Piner athletic director Ryan Riddle nor head coach Adam Rosenstein offered a statement. They redirected all questions to the school’s administration.
Rosenstein, however, spoke about the team
Speaking to The Press Democrat, Piner head coach Adam Rosenstein attributed the decision to a shortage of healthy players, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines. Yet, despite the varsity roster listing 33 players, Rosenstein revealed that only five healthy linemen were available for the game.
By Friday evening, the forfeit had been officially confirmed, according to an email sent by Archie Williams athletic director Jett Russell to The Press Democrat. The decision dealt another blow to Piner, dropping its season record to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in league play.
“This year has been challenging with numbers, so we’re hopeful to be back next week,” Piner High School athletic director Ryan Riddle mentioned in a text to The Press Democrat Saturday morning.
But where does the school stand amid the growing controversy? Piner High School appears to be proceeding cautiously as it grapples with the fallout.
Piner High School promises action to restore parents’ confidence
Amid mounting concerns, Piner Principal Andrea Correia addressed families in a message Thursday, firmly stating that the school neither tolerated nor condoned sexual assault, harassment, or abuse.
“I stand firmly against these behaviors, as does Piner Junior Senior High School,” Correia wrote. “We stand with those who speak up, and with everyone in our community who believes that harassment, assault, and abuse have no place at Piner.”
Facing mounting concerns, Santa Rosa City Schools officials have assured that the controversial social media post is under scrutiny, with disciplinary action against those responsible to be determined in accordance with the district’s student code of conduct and social media agreement.