CPS cancels 35 Public games
Thirty-five Public League football games scheduled for Friday and Saturday were canceled in the wake of the Jason Van Dyke verdict.
Not playing the games will prevent some teams from reaching the state playoffs and severely affect the playoff seedings for teams such as Phillips and Simeon.
Chicago Public Schools told coaches and athletic directors Friday evening that the games were canceled ‘‘out of an abundance of caution regarding the timing of the Van Dyke trial verdict announcement.’’
(Joliet) Herald-News sports editor Steve Soucie, the premier football bracketologist in the state, said the loss of a game might drop Simeon from a No. 1 or No. 2 seed to a No. 8 or No. 9 seed. Phillips might drop from a No. 6 seed to a No. 12 or No. 13 seed. Raby might miss the playoffs entirely if it doesn’t play a Week 7 game.
The Illinois High School Association allows teams to play only once a week, which normally would rule out making up the games Monday. But a source at the IHSA said the governing body was considering making an exception in this situation.
Public League coaches and athletic directors generally are reluctant to disagree publicly with CPS, but players took to Twitter after the cancellations.
‘‘What happened today had absolutely nothing to do with football,’’ Phillips senior and Illinois recruit Fabian McCray tweeted. ‘‘I don’t understand why our games are being canceled. For some kids, football is the only thing that they look forward to every day. We should be able to play the game we love.’’
‘‘Let us play,’’ Curie running back AJ Sanya tweeted. ‘‘Football is our therapy. It helps us get away from problems. This one week can be the deciding factor for getting a scholarship offer or quitting and being on the streets.’’
A group of prominent football coaches lobbied CPS brass late Friday to allow the games to be played later this weekend but said, ‘‘They wouldn’t budge.’’
CPS didn’t respond to inquiries.