Ligonier Valley’s football schedule down to 5 games

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | 5:54 PM

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Ligonier Valley is set to makes its WPIAL debut for its second stint in the league this fall. The Rams have not played in the WPIAL in 50 years.

But the football team is hurting for games.

The Rams will open the season — should it be played — with only five games. That is because the WPIAL condensed each team’s schedule to seven games but left a bye for some teams.

Ligonier Valley’s bye falls in Week 3.

Then, about a week ago, Summit Academy canceled its season. It was scheduled to play Ligonier Valley in Week 6.

Summit Academy opted out of fall sports, as did Uniontown and former WPIAL member Albert Gallatin.

The WPIAL wiped out Week Zero and had each team turn their Week 1 game into a scrimmage.

So Ligonier Valley’s schedule has a home scrimmage against Elizabeth Forward (Sept. 4), then games at Apollo-Ridge (Sept. 11), at Frazier (Sept. 18), home vs. Steel Valley (Oct. 2), at Serra Catholic (Sept. 9), and home to Shady Side Academy (Oct. 23).

“Our athletic director has reached out to several teams looking to fill our open dates,” Rams coach Roger Beitel said. “Schools have been noncommittal to accepting our request to play them. As teams are opting out of football this fall, we are quick to reach out to those teams left without opponents.”

Beitel said he is confused as to why the WPIAL would schedule byes in an already-condensed season.

“At this point, we still have a five-game season, which is very disappointing,” he said, “considering our varsity is scheduled to play fewer games than our junior high team.”

So now our “7” game schedule is down to 5 games! https://t.co/It2I20Mr7V

— Roger Beitel (@roger_beitel) August 12, 2020

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Ligonier Valley