It’s Official; St. Joe’s Suspends Football, Bucktail Has Two New Open Dates
FARWELL – St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy is suspending its football program for 2018 and that means the Bucktail Bucks do have two holes in their upcoming schedule. But as reported when therecord-online recently broke the story, Buck coach Bruce Ransom and athletic director Jack Hanobic are working on finding replacements.
St. Joseph’s athletic director Chad Walsh on Tuesday confirmed that the Boalsburg-based parochial school has made the decision to suspend the 2018 season “due to a lack of participation.”
Walsh released a copy of the statement issued to program parents, explaining the decision: “We have not finished a season with more than 18 healthy players over the past five seasons. This year, we are looking at fewer than 13 who have committed to playing.”
His statement said the decision does not mean the program will “cease to exist forever.” The statement said, “While football may not find its way into the 2018 athletics schedule, it is definitely not the end of the program. With a little bit of time, patience, and meticulous planning, St Joseph’s hopes to field a team in the near future.”
The release said the school does maintain a co-op soccer program with Grace Prep of State College.
St. Joseph’s was on the Bucktail schedule for both weeks three and six this upcoming year. Ransom said he learned earlier this year about the possible loss of those two games so an effort is being made to fill the dates. He said there appears to be success in filling the week three date and work continues on week six, trying to line up games against St. Joe’s common opponents also looking to fill unanticipated dates on their schedules.
The opening day for PIAA football games is Friday, August 24.
The Bucktail 2018 football schedule:
week 1 Sayre
week 2 Columbia-Montour VoTech (A)
week 3 St. Joes (gone)
week 4 Canton
week 5 Muncy (A)
week 6 St. Joes (A) (gone)
week 7 Cowanesque Valley
week 8 Pottsville Nativity (A)
week 9 OPEN
week 10 Montgomery
