Shady Side Academy can face wpial repercussions if the football team has pierced the game against Clairton

By: Chris Harlan


Thursday September 4, 2025 | 3 p.m.

Shady Side Academy is behind his decision to cancel a football match this week despite the possible repercussions.

One day after having announced that the team was missing from players and would lose its non-conference match of week 2 in Clairton, the school reaffirmed its position on Thursday, quoting an “unshakable commitment to student safety”. A team that loses a match without WPIAL written approval can be excluded from the playoffs and stripped of any section championship plate.

“In Shady Side Academy, the health and well-being of our students will still come first,” said Shady Side Academy Sean Simmons sports director in a statement. “Our players are adolescents, not professionals. Their security is not negotiable. We will not compromise our principles to meet the requirements of a sports league, and if sanctions are imposed, we are ready to defend the dignity and safety of our students athletes in all possible forums. ”

The WPIAL said on Wednesday that it would consider the postponed game, a designation that could allow teams to reprogram later in the season, if possible. If the game was not played, it would be considered a confiscation.

The Bulldogs left 2-0 under the first year coach Andrew Geisler.

Shady Side Academy said Thursday that only nine of “nearly 40 players in total on the list” are healthy and eligible to play this week. The school said that injuries go from broken fractures and wrists to brain problems and concussions, as well as continuous rehabilitation.

The school update said that the nine available athletes included three offensive line players, while the other six players are ninth students “new in the game”, including a kickletter.

One day earlier, the school said that “almost 20” of the 40 were not available.

The director of WPIAL operations, Vince Sortino, noted that the rules on the plans, which come from the statutes of the PIAA, are included in the WPIAL football cover letter sent to the schools.

The cover letter indicates: “In accordance with the sporting relations of article XII, section 5.A. of the statutes of the PIAA, any school lost a league competition without written approval of the WPIAL section will result in the loss of championship rights under article XIII Pinties, Section 5, in reference to section 2.A.

Tratino said Thursday that school had not received written approval.

However, Shady Side Academy noted in his statement that the school had previously lost the games in the 2016, 1919 and 23 seasons without facing such repercussions. The school said that small sizes, injuries or diseases have led to these confiscated, noting that other WPIAL schools have also been confiscated without penalty.

“The protection of injured players is not only the right decision, this is the only decision,” said Simmons. “Threats of punishment for the prioritization of security against the PIAA mission itself, which clearly indicates that its objective is” to promote and support safe and healthy interscholastic competition “. »»

Clairton beat Shady Side Academy, 50-0, last season.

Chris Harlan is a tribute journalist covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a journalist at the Beaver County Times. It can be attached to charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Clairton, Shady Side Academy