Holy Cross Football Forfeits Opener Due to Low Roster

Holy Cross has announced the forfeiture of its Week 1 high school football opener against Lakeland. The decision, made Monday evening, stems from a critically low roster of just 19 players, many lacking varsity experience, coupled with existing injuries.

Principal Ben Tolerico emphasized that player safety is the paramount concern, making it impossible to field a competitive team for the scheduled Friday night game. He expressed disappointment for both Holy Cross and Lakeland, whose players have trained all summer.

This situation echoes past challenges, including the cancellation of the 2019 season due to a 12-player roster and a forfeited game in 2022. Despite these hurdles, the program has seen recent improvements with back-to-back three-win seasons and playoff appearances.

Holy Cross hopes to rebound, with Tolerico anticipating that returning injured players and new interest after school starts could bolster the roster to 19-20 players. The intention is to avoid further forfeits and compete in subsequent games. Lakeland will use the extra practice time to prepare for their next opponent.