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St. Joseph boys accept PIAA forfeit Saturday, March 01, 2008 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) |
Editor's note:
The Pennsylvania Basketball Website called and spoke
to PIAA
executive director Brad Cashman by phone to find out who made the decision
that the game should go forward and he related that the Game Manager based
out of the District 6 site of the game and PIAA representatives from
Southwestern Pennsylvania had decided that the game could go forward with
teams traveling to use the turnpike which had favorable conditions for
travel. We asked about the Ambridge team taking six hours to reach
their site and we were informed that they chose to use Route 22 which is
stop and go on the best days. Also Route 22 had construction.
So part of the problem there was the choice to use 22 instead of the
Turnpike which was recommended by the PIAA. Bill Gaffey for pahoops.org |
St. Joseph coach Kelly Robinson expressed concern about travel safety as a result of poor weather conditions. St. Joseph athletic director Mike Stitt called the PIAA seeking a postponement, but PIAA officials said weather conditions yesterday weren't bad enough to postpone the game.
When St. Joseph refused to travel to the game, Bishop Guilfoyle was credited with a forfeit victory.
"We know it was not easy traveling in some areas [last night]," PIAA executive director Brad Cashman said. "But we didn't have anybody in [Western Pennsylvania] who felt the games should be postponed. Those running the games in the West felt they should be played as scheduled. Therefore, we went with them."
Robinson said his players had trouble getting from their homes to the school in Natrona Heights. He also said he had no reservations about accepting the forfeit because, to him, team safety was paramount in the decision.
"When you are a coach, your players are like family," Robinson said. "It is a shame that eight seniors had to go out like this, but it would be a bigger shame to look at the front of the newspaper and see that one of them got hurt, or worse, trying to get to a game. We have to remember that it is just a game, it isn't worth risking your life."