Flintridge Prep forfeits upcoming league opener

Hampered by injuries and without enough able bodies to field a team, the Flintridge Prep football team announced Tuesday it will forfeit a game for the second time this season.

The Rebels were scheduled to host Webb on Friday at Occidental College in both teams’ Prep League opener. But, after losing two more players due to injuries in a 49-0 loss to Malibu on Saturday, which it began with only 15 players available, Coach Antonio Harrison made the decision to forfeit Friday’s game.

“With two players still not cleared to come back and two more getting hurt at Malibu,” Harrison stated in an email, “we simply don’t have enough once again to field a team.”

The Rebels also were forced to call off a Sept. 24 nonleague meeting against Campbell Hall because of a depleted roster after suffering a string of injuries the week before in a 48-0 loss to Grace Brethren.

The Rebels lost starting quarterback Clayton Weirick (left ankle) and his backup, Stefan Smith (right knee), who was the starting running back, in the opening half on Saturday afternoon. Neither player returned.

Since winning their opener against Bellarmine-Jefferson, 12-8, the Rebels have lost four straight games.

With a bye next week, Prep is not scheduled to play until Oct. 22, when it hosts Viewpoint in its homecoming game at La Cañada High.

“That gives us three weeks to … get all our guys healthy,” Harrison stated. “We are optimistic that by that time we should be able to field a team and give our typically largest crowd a great game to watch and great team to cheer for.”

He added: “I am extremely proud of these young men for continuing to fight, believing in this program, in me, in themselves and their teammates, and for being willing to fill in where needed and attempting to recruit guys on campus.”

The Rebels’ junior varsity team will play, as scheduled, Friday at Occidental at 4 p.m.