Missouri high school forfeits playoff football game for interesting reason
The Panthers have faced their challenges over the last two decades with their last true successful season coming in 2009.
The Principia School's high school football team in St. Louis, Missouri, faced an unusual end to their 2026 season. Despite still having a playoff game scheduled, the Panthers chose to forfeit their second-round postseason match against Crystal City. The reason? To tackle culture issues within their program. Athletic director Shawn Brown told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "While we’re disappointed with how the season ended, we believe this was a necessary step in moving our program forward."
This decision left the Panthers with a disappointing 2-7 record for the season. Their offensive struggles were evident, as they allowed 54 or more points five times and 60 or more points four times. In six on-field losses, the Panthers averaged a 29-point deficit. Their two wins saw them scoring 70 against Veritas Christian Academy and 66 against Confluence Prep Academy.
The team's history has been marked by struggles, with their last winning season in 2009 and only one other winning season in 2018, resulting in an overall record of 41-107.
Following the forfeiture, Crystal City was able to advance to a third-round matchup against Louisiana on November 13, marking their first game since beating Grandview on October 23. Louisiana, currently at 8-2, kicked off their postseason with a dominant 72-0 victory over Veritas Christian Academy on November 6. For more high school sports coverage, readers can follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
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