Charles City forfeit?

cpayne1208

Redshirt
Aug 28, 2025
57
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I just got an alert from MaxPreps saying that Charles City has forfeited their game against Essex. Has anybody heard anything on thism
 

matthew328826

Freshman
Staff member
Jun 17, 2025
1,075
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Word floating around is that both Charles City has decided to forfeit and the same could be happening with West Point (due to lack of available bodies) against Rappahannock.
 

WP02alum

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2009
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I saw the post that WP won’t be playing Friday @ Rapp. It referenced “low player participation”. Sounds intentionally vague. Maybe has to do with student discipline issues? No clue. Was looking forward to seeing them play in Warsaw on Friday.
 

WP02alum

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2009
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Feels like both WP & CC athletic directors should have been able to see this issue coming & notified the Region ahead of time. So now the 2-seed plays an opening round game, but the 3-seed gets a bye. Not good.
 
Jun 8, 2001
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Feels like both WP & CC athletic directors should have been able to see this issue coming & notified the Region ahead of time. So now the 2-seed plays an opening round game, but the 3-seed gets a bye. Not good.
Both should have a postseason ban in 2026 for doing this. Spare me the sad sap stories about low turnout and participation which led to this.

Forfeitures are already ridiculous and even more compounding in their insanity in the playoffs.

With the bracketing principles compromised, fairness is out the window for the rest of the participating teams in the entire classification. Therefore, stiff punishments should be on the table…not just for consideration, but something which is actionable and justifiable. And this set of circumstances warrant just that.
 

m-squared2

Redshirt
Aug 7, 2025
61
40
18
The team that is really impacted is Colonial Beach. If WP & CC had dropped out in time to include Lancaster and Middlesex instead, Colonial Beach would be traveling to Warsaw (the next county over) to play Rappahannock instead of traveling to the Eastern Shore to play Northhampton. This doesn't affect any other regions since barring a huge upset Essex is going to win 1A. Have a good one!
 
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DrefromVA

Redshirt
Aug 31, 2025
7
8
3
Feels like both WP & CC athletic directors should have been able to see this issue coming & notified the Region ahead of time. So now the 2-seed plays an opening round game, but the 3-seed gets a bye. Not good.

I think everybody knows how I feel about this situation in CC. But for those out the loop, the person they hired for athletic director for Charles City resigned a couple of weeks ago. Didn't last a full season. So, they currently do not have an athletic director. The new AD at WP use to be VHSL, but I can't speak directly on their situation nor their numbers.
 

Gunz41!

All-Conference
Sep 22, 2007
6,046
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The team that is really impacted is Colonial Beach. If WP & CC had dropped out in time to include Lancaster and Middlesex instead, Colonial Beach would be traveling to Warsaw (the next county over) to play Rappahannock instead of traveling to the Eastern Shore to play Northhampton. This doesn't affect any other regions since barring a huge upset Essex is going to win 1A. Have a good one!
Middlesex is the 5 seed already it appears, 9 was Lancaster and 10 Mathews (who has only played 5 games, so ineligible). So basically the 2 teams effected (not counting Essex and Rappahannock not having a game) are Northhampton and Colonial Beach.

In reality, what should have been done (if knew in time) is set it up like 2B and have 6 teams in with Top 2 seeds having a BYE. 1A would then look like this:

1 Essex BYE
5 Middlesex at 4 Northumberland

2 Northhampton
6 Colonial Beach at 3 Rappahannock
 

WP02alum

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2009
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Middlesex is the 5 seed already it appears, 9 was Lancaster and 10 Mathews (who has only played 5 games, so ineligible). So basically the 2 teams effected (not counting Essex and Rappahannock not having a game) are Northhampton and Colonial Beach.

In reality, what should have been done (if knew in time) is set it up like 2B and have 6 teams in with Top 2 seeds having a BYE. 1A would then look like this:

1 Essex BYE
5 Middlesex at 4 Northumberland

2 Northhampton
6 Colonial Beach at 3 Rappahannock
Agree. It shouldn’t be that Rapp has an advantage over the 2-seed from the 3-line.
 

WP02alum

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2009
2,089
1,555
73
Both should have a postseason ban in 2026 for doing this. Spare me the sad sap stories about low turnout and participation which led to this.

Forfeitures are already ridiculous and even more compounding in their insanity in the playoffs.

With the bracketing principles compromised, fairness is out the window for the rest of the participating teams in the entire classification. Therefore, stiff punishments should be on the table…not just for consideration, but something which is actionable and justifiable. And this set of circumstances warrant just that.
I can’t really disagree. Feels unprofessional for the adults at WP to let it happen like this. Comes across like folks are asleep at the wheel…
 

m-squared2

Redshirt
Aug 7, 2025
61
40
18
Middlesex is the 5 seed already it appears, 9 was Lancaster and 10 Mathews (who has only played 5 games, so ineligible). So basically the 2 teams effected (not counting Essex and Rappahannock not having a game) are Northhampton and Colonial Beach.

In reality, what should have been done (if knew in time) is set it up like 2B and have 6 teams in with Top 2 seeds having a BYE. 1A would then look like this:

1 Essex BYE
5 Middlesex at 4 Northumberland

2 Northhampton
6 Colonial Beach at 3 Rappahannock
That's a good idea! Sorry, I typed Middlesex but meant Matthews. Have a good one!
 

DrefromVA

Redshirt
Aug 31, 2025
7
8
3
Made a couple of calls around to a few people and got it confirmed that Charles City has forfeited to Essex.
 

WP02alum

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Nov 22, 2009
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I am SO annoyed at WP player parents for pulling this nonsense. Did they hold out their kids for fear of injury vs Charles City? No? Despicable.
 

RappRiverEHS1

Redshirt
Aug 10, 2015
7
3
3
I could be wrong but I believe that West Point had players/starters sit out last year against Essex in the playoffs. Parents pulled their kids.
 

Anon1763131712

Redshirt
Nov 14, 2025
2
0
1
I know multiple seniors at West Point high school. They had a meeting Monday to see if they wanted to play the game they voted to play. They were ready to go over to rapp with 16 players knowing they we're going to come up short. The decision was made by the coaches on Tuesday. Yes they did have one player parent not let them play and 2 starting lineman suspended for school reasons.
 

Anon1763131712

Redshirt
Nov 14, 2025
2
0
1
I could be wrong but I believe that West Point had players/starters sit out last year against Essex in the playoffs. Parents pulled their kids.
Yes that is true. They went over to Essex last year with less players than this year. I'm not understanding why they forfeit this year.
 

WP02alum

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2009
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No doubt the remaining kids wanted to play. Lots of dynamics in play for coaches when parents start holding kids out on sparse lineups. I don’t want to rush to judge the WP coaches without more info.