Half of high school football team’s roster facing suspension for playoff game

By Caitlyn Scott

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — With the City League playoffs starting this week, several Westinghouse football players are facing a suspension after an incident during a game against USO on Friday.

Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson Ebony Pugh released a statement Tuesday saying the PIAA ruled several players on the Westinghouse team will be suspended for one game “after leaving the bench during a recent game incident.”

The statement said the Bulldogs will compete this week with a “significantly reduced roster,” limited to players who remained “on the field, on the bench” during the incident and those who were “not present at the game” at Cupples Stadium.

Pugh said the school did not have final numbers on Tuesday evening, but estimated that “at least half” of the Westinghouse team and 10 USO players would be among those suspended.

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 obtained video of what led up to the incident. It shows that a Westinghouse player was stopped, but he continued to be dragged about 20 yards by USO players. As the play ended, players from both teams left the benches.

Westinghouse administrators are appealing the PIAA’s decision, but the window is small. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play Perry in a City League semifinal matchup Friday night.

USO will also have to play shorthanded against Allderdice in the first semifinal Thursday night.

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