There will not be a football game between the Euclid Panthers and the Solon Comets this Friday night.
According to a statement from the Euclid City School District, the Solon Comets have decided to forfeit Friday’s game as opposed to traveling to Euclid Community Stadium.
Euclid was set to hold Senior’s Night at Friday’s game. The statement expressed disappointment for students, athletes, the band and the community.
Last Friday, the Panthers took their home game to Brunswick due to a series of incidents that occurred throughout the week prior to the game.
Tuesday’s statement addressed the need to change last week’s game and stated that concerns related to that decision were properly handled:
“The high school administrators then dedicated time to thoroughly address those concerns, resulting in an enjoyable and memorable Homecoming Dance. We are eager to provide our students with traditional and typical high school experiences.”
Euclid will now attempt to find another team to play Friday night so that the district can “celebrate their school community and their students’ achievements” at Senior Night.
RELATED: Euclid High School not hosting Friday night football game due to safety concerns
Full statement provided by Euclid City Schools:
We regret to inform you that the Friday night football game between the Euclid Panthers and Solon Comets will not be taking place, as the Solon City School District has chosen to forfeit the game instead of making the journey to Euclid Community Stadium.
Our disappointment is rooted in the missed opportunity for student-athletes, band members, cheer squads, and our diverse communities to interact, reinforcing the shared values that unite us as Americans, transcending our differences. We firmly believe such interactions foster a sense of unity and understanding among all involved.
It’s important to address the concerns that have arisen, particularly in light of the recent media coverage related to Euclid. Weekly, we share our comprehensive plans for the management of events at Euclid Community Stadium with visiting teams, as we did with Solon. We want to emphasize that Euclid Schools are committed to hosting events only when we can ensure our local community’s and visiting opponents’ safety. Therefore, we find no reason to move Friday night’s game.
To provide reassurance, it’s important to communicate that the game against Brunswick was moved after careful consideration so a thorough investigation into community concerns could be properly completed. The high school administrators then dedicated time to thoroughly address those concerns, resulting in an enjoyable and memorable Homecoming Dance. We are eager to provide our students with traditional and typical high school experiences. Senior Night, scheduled for this Friday, was intended to be another opportunity to celebrate our school community and our students’ achievements.
The Euclid Panthers will travel to Solon on Thursday for the Freshman football game and again on Saturday for the JV game in the spirit of sportsmanship and friendly competition.
We are actively attempting to schedule another team for Friday and will explore opportunities to celebrate our Senior football players, band members, and cheerleaders. We hope to overcome these challenges and create an environment where friendly competition and camaraderie can flourish, bringing our communities together in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
Christopher Papouras
Superintendent
Euclid City School District
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