Covid cases force Burgettstown to forfeit Week 4 game to Rochester

By: Bill Hartlep
Friday, September 24, 2021 | 3:27 PM

A fifth WPIAL Week 4 football game was canceled Friday morning, just hours before the contest was scheduled to begin.

Burgettstown was forced to forfeit its Class A Big Seven Conference game at Rochester due to covid cases and quarantine within the Burgettstown program.

In a statement, Burgettstown Superintendent Stephen Puskar said, “After considering where we stand from a covid-19 health standpoint, an injury perspective and a preparation perspective (preparation that was stunted because of the unfolding covid-related events), we are exercising caution and withdrawing from this evening’s scheduled football game against Rochester.”

Puskar said the week began with one student testing positive, but more have tested positive since and others are also in quarantine.

He also said the team hopes to return for its Week 5 game as long as it is safe to resume play.

Rochester improves to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Burgettstown falls to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Seven.

Norwin, Carlynton and Woodland Hills also had to forfeit Week 4 games after covid cases cropped up within the programs. Derry also had to postpone its game against Freeport because of covid cases, but it was considered a no-contest because the Trojans did not have enough players to compete.

A regular-season contest canceled because of covid-19 can be declared a “no-contest” rather than a forfeit, WPIAL officials said this week. But, if teams have enough players to compete but choose not to play, it is ruled a forfeit.

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Burgettstown, Rochester