Central Bucks West's opponents are disappointed, too

The decision by Central Bucks High School West to scrub the remainder of its football season has left its two remaining opponents - and about 3,500 students and their families - dealing with the ripple effect of the last-minute cancellation.

Underclassmen from the two opponent schools looking to impress college scouts, substitutes trying to gain more playing time, seniors who covet every second they spend on field - as well as the marching band, color guard, cheerleaders, and fans - will have one fewer game this season.

At sister school Central Bucks East, players, students, and faculty coped with the disappointment of missing their traditional Homecoming game. At the same time, they made plans to shuffle activities and other game-day traditions to lessen the impact.

"The message that we are sending to students is that you don't always get to choose what happens to you. But how we react says a lot about who we are," principal Abram M. Lucabaugh said.

Joyce Mundy, superintendent of the Centennial School District, did not return calls about the impact of canceling the year's last game at William Tennent High School.

On Friday at Central Bucks East, instead of forgoing a game-day custom, the football players still wore their road-trip attire - jackets and ties - to classes. The group also spent Friday evening together - bowling - and will gather Saturday afternoon at the Quakertown High School game to scout its next opponent as team-building activities.

The school's Homecoming game will be shifted to Friday against Quakertown, although the dance will remain on Saturday.

Senior Maddy Mabrey, 17, said that while it was upsetting that the opponent for her final high school Homecoming game would be Quakertown rather than West, the students did not sit back and let things happen.

"We took control of the situation," Mabrey said. "We can still have a great time."

The school also decided to have another Spirit Week starting Monday. That decision will "help us to have school pride," said sophomore Gabby Verrecchio, 16.

Lucabaugh said his school would pack a lot into the next - and last - game, where it will honor the seniors from the team, cheerleaders, color guard, and band. It will also present the Homecoming court, he said.

While the school worked to make the best of a bad situation, some things will not be made whole. The gate and concession receipts that benefit programs, including the band, cannot be made up.

"There is absolutely a financial impact," Lucabaugh said.