Forfeit

wildcat71

Well-known member
I noticed Warren JFK was awarded a 1-0 forfeit over Louisville St Thomas Aquinas as St. Thomas canceled tonight's game. Wondering why Ravenna Southeast was not awarded a forfeit last week when St Thomas canceled their game as well and why Mogadore was not awarded a forfeit when University School canceled last week...just wondering....anyone have any insight?
 
 
I noticed Warren JFK was awarded a 1-0 forfeit over Louisville St Thomas Aquinas as St. Thomas canceled tonight's game. Wondering why Ravenna Southeast was not awarded a forfeit last week when St Thomas canceled their game as well and why Mogadore was not awarded a forfeit when University School canceled last week...just wondering....anyone have any insight?
I’m quite positive this is a case where JFK asked OHSAA for the forfeit, but Mogadore must not have.
 
Joe Eitel still has it listed as a cancellation, not a forfeit. I'll go with that until it changes. I don't care how it is being listed on Scorestream.

Given that St. Thomas is worth as few computer points as is possible, no team trying to make the playoffs should want a cancelled game against them changed to a forfeit. It would hurt their computer average to be credited with the forfeit and be subject to larger L1 and L2 divisors.
 
From OHSAA SPORTS REGULATIONS
31. Regular Season No Contests/Tournament Forfeits
Any scheduled regular season contest which is not started shall be considered a “no contest.” A “no
contest” shall not be included in won-lost records.
Any tournament contest in which a team fails to appear for reasons other than those outlined in
Sports Regulation 16.4 or a team has been removed from the tournament in accordance with Bylaw
11-1-2, Penalties, shall be considered a “forfeit.” Should a “forfeit” occur, the “forfeit” shall be
included in won-lost records and the opposing team shall advance to the next round of competition.
 
The system has failed. Good teams will start using this loophole to rest their players when they are banged up. Something has to change.
It used to be that if a game was cancelled it was due to an extreme event, such as a player/coach death. Since Covid, it seems like cancellations are happening more and more. Sadly, I see what you are saying as something that will continue because of the loophole and I do think you are right. The good programs won't do it, but there are others who will.
 
Joe Eitel still has it listed as a cancellation, not a forfeit. I'll go with that until it changes. I don't care how it is being listed on Scorestream.

Given that St. Thomas is worth as few computer points as is possible, no team trying to make the playoffs should want a cancelled game against them changed to a forfeit. It would hurt their computer average to be credited with the forfeit and be subject to larger L1 and L2 divisors.
Mogadore will want a forfeit for their 8th "official game", but yes as a winless team the bye is better for points.
 
That said, it is University School Mogadore may seek a forfeit from, I just have no idea if that is legitimately possible at the OHSAA.
 
Mooney just had to forfeit a win to East, but I don't think there have been as many forfeits as we've seen in other seasons.
 
Mooney forfeit was due to an ineligible player playing in the game.
The rules used to be (2019) OHSAA would judge every cancelation on a case by case basis and rule whether a forfeit is warranted. Fast forward to 2022 and they could care less, any game canceled is no contest. Only forfeits are due to ineligible player. I'm not even certain what purpose the OHSAA serves in 2022?
 
The rules used to be (2019) OHSAA would judge every cancelation on a case by case basis and rule whether a forfeit is warranted. Fast forward to 2022 and they could care less, any game canceled is no contest. Only forfeits are due to ineligible player. I'm not even certain what purpose the OHSAA serves in 2022?
Not sure what you are saying. The OHSAA made there rules clearer and cleaner and you object? Not sure the member schools do.
Every forfeit has two sides to it.
 
Not sure what you are saying. The OHSAA made there rules clearer and cleaner and you object? Not sure the member schools do.
Every forfeit has two sides to it.
My point was OHSAA used to monitor and issue a forfeit if it was warranted. Now the rule is you are able to cancel at any time for any reason with no penalty.
 
That does not appear to be true. The general rule that games do not start count as a Bye in the points has been around for at least 20 years if not since 1972.
 
If you go to Joe Eitel in 2019 you will see several 1-0 forfeits (especially in D7) that did indeed count in the Harbin rankings. In 2022 these will appear as C* cancel. *Game does not count in OHSAA rankings. Two totally different set of rules so I'm not sure why you don't think forfeits existed before covid.
 
I wonder how a league would handle this. If team X would finish 7 - 0 with a cancellation and team Y finishes 7 - 0 in the same league with team X cancelling on team Y, do they share the league title?
 
If you go to Joe Eitel in 2019 you will see several 1-0 forfeits (especially in D7) that did indeed count in the Harbin rankings. In 2022 these will appear as C* cancel. *Game does not count in OHSAA rankings. Two totally different set of rules so I'm not sure why you don't think forfeits existed before covid.
Often times those games are already played and then revised to at forfeit 1-0 score on his site. Just like the Mooney east game this season. Or the struthers Sharon 2015 game
 
I understand that is the case when using an ineligible player and still is, however it also used to be the case when a team was canceled on.
 
My point was OHSAA used to monitor and issue a forfeit if it was warranted. Now the rule is you are able to cancel at any time for any reason with no penalty.
not true; again, the canceled upon school is allowed to ask OHSAA to award the forfeit.
 
not true; again, the canceled upon school is allowed to ask OHSAA to award the forfeit.
They are not allowed to seek a forfeit in 2022 for a cancelation. It states that clearly in this year's rules. All games not played are NO Contest and the team canceled on has zero recourse. Look it up yourself. Only time a team can seek a forfeit is due to an ineligible player.
 
They are not allowed to seek a forfeit in 2022 for a cancelation. It states that clearly in this year's rules. All games not played are NO Contest and the team canceled on has zero recourse. Look it up yourself. Only time a team can seek a forfeit is due to an ineligible player.
Can you explain why you keep citing 2019 as the prior set of rules where a team could? Did the rules change over from 2021 to 2022 on this? Because I know of one scheduled game specifically last year where the team sought for the forfeit and they were awarded it.
 
I have not looked up the 2021 rules. I looked up 2019 because that was pre-covid. 2019 stated that forfeits would be determined on a case by case basis. I was curious on the 2022 rules after University School dumped Mogadore on Homecoming morning. 2022 rules stated all cancelations would be ruled no contest.
 
Not sure why it really matters that much. I could care less what the rule is. I can’t argue with the way the current rule is written. If no game happened then no game happened and reflecting as such is an accurate a representation of what occurred. The only thing beyond this I actually would support is a penalty for the team that cancelled from a playoff point calculation, but the team that did not play and did not cancel also did not win or lose and should be reflected as such!
 
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I wonder how a league would handle this. If team X would finish 7 - 0 with a cancellation and team Y finishes 7 - 0 in the same league with team X cancelling on team Y, do they share the league title?
Yep.in the Portage Trail conference last year Mogadore ended 3-1 having played a full league schedule. Ravenna Southeast and Warren JFK both finished 2-1 having St. Thomas cancel on both...but all 3 shared conference title.
 
Mogadore will want a forfeit for their 8th "official game", but yes as a winless team the bye is better for points.
Exactly, because the playoff elgibility rules require at least 8 games played - and those teams that had another game cancelled, or who scheduled a game against a team that doesn't meet OHSAA standard don't count toward the 8 games. So some teams at risk of PO eligiblity when a forfeit is treated as "no contest." I'm not advocating for or against the new rule - just that it puts some good teams at risk of no POs if schools with roster/injury problems cancel at the last minute.
 
I think the OHSAA is caught in a tough situation for a standard rule. They want as many schools to field a football team as possible. Seems every year we have some schools that want to play 11-man but move down to 8-man close to the beginning of the season. Then we have the schools that have very small rosters trying to tough it out. Many make a whole season, some lose too many players and have to cancel games or the season.

If the OHSAA comes down too hard on these schools by declaring forfeits, the schools may choose to not waste their time with football anymore. Getting a school to start football back up after a long hiatus is not an easy accomplishment, so keeping them playing is the best hope for the health of the sport.

Maybe it is time to reward teams that scheduled games that were cancelled by the other team to meet their minimum number of games played. Mogadore may end with only 7 games played but would be recognized as having played 9.
 
Would be a shame and a sham if Mogadore does not qualify because 2 teams on their schedule " backed out", especially at the last possible minute ( Hunting Valley University School). And Mogadore had to schedule the non OHSAA Columbus Crusaders because no other school would play them week 2 apparently. Local teams won't ( see Norton and Akron Springfield).
 
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