{
  "id": 3143601,
  "title": "HS FOOTBALL: Holy Cross forfeits Week 1 game to Lakeland",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/hs-football-holy-cross-forfeits-week-1-game-to-lakeland",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-25T00:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hs-football-holy-cross-forfeits-000100009.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Holy Cross has decided to forfeit its Week 1 high school football game against Lakeland, according to a statement released on Monday evening. The Crusaders will begin the season with 19 players on the roster, many of whom are novices to varsity football. Holy Cross graduated 12 players from its 2025 roster. Principal Ben Tolerico expressed pride in the school's football program, stating that players are dedicated to the program. However, lower numbers and injuries have made competing against Lakeland challenging. Tolerico emphasized the safety of players as the top priority, explaining that the decision to forfeit was a difficult one. Holy Cross, a Class 1A team, will now face Riverside in Week 2 and Dunmore in Week 3. These programs have won the last three District 2 Class 2A championships. Tolerico noted that Holy Cross faced similar challenges in the past, including cancelling the 2019 season and forfeiting a Week 3 game in 2022. Despite recent back-to-back three-win seasons and playoff appearances, Tolerico hopes to increase interest and field a team in the future. Lakeland, which scrimmage Schuylkill Haven on Saturday, will use the forfeit to gain extra practice time and improve upon their scrimmage. Head coach David Piwowarczyk expressed disappointment, but saw potential for good things to come from the situation.",
  "summary": "Holy Cross is forfeiting its Week 1 high school football opener at Lakeland, the school announced Monday evening. The Crusaders are starting the season with 19 players on the roster, with many of them having no varsity playing experience. Holy Cross graduated 12 players from its 2025 roster. “Our football program is something that we are proud to have,” Holy Cross principal Ben Tolerico said. ...",
  "key_points": [
    "Holy Cross forfeits Week 1 game against Lakeland",
    "Crusaders start season with 19 players on roster",
    "Principal Ben Tolerico prioritizes player safety"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The forfeit reflects the challenges small schools face in maintaining competitive teams, as Holy Cross prioritizes player safety amid low numbers and injuries, potentially jeopardizing its longer-term viability.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}