A much-anticipated football matchup between the Rainier Beach Vikings (2-0), ranked #4 in the WIAA 3A division, and 2A powerhouse Archbishop Murphy (1-1), ranked #5 in the WIAA 2A division, has been cancelled.
According to Archbishop Murphy’s website, on Thurs., Sept. 13, school officials were made aware of a “potential threat.” School officials immediately notified authorities and on the recommendation of law enforcement officials Archbishop Murphy cancelled school on Fri., Sept. 14, and all school related activities both on and off campus were postponed – which includes the football game against Rainier Beach.
Rainier Beach Athletic Director George Foster says that he found out about the threat and the cancellation this morning.
“I heard it from my head coach at 5:30 a.m. this morning and I made contact with [Archbishop Murphy’s] AD and he said it was true,” said Foster, who stressed the importance of student safety as a top priority of all schools.
Foster said that the game will not be rescheduled because there isn’t room in either teams’ schedule to do so.
“Obviously, we are disappointed but we just got to move forward from here and get ready for our league schedule which starts next Thursday against Eastside Catholic,” said Foster. “That’s where our focus has to be right now, so we have to get ready for the number one team in the state.”
Rainier Beach Head Football Coach Corey Sampson, who expressed his concern and disappointment on behalf of both teams and their respective schools, said the game was one that he and his team were really looking forward to because it was a high-profile game that would take place in the community and help showcase the talents of the Rainier Beach program.
“If you want to be the best, you got to play the best and Archbishop Murphy was a big draw for us,” said Sampson. “We planned this game hoping that the community would come out and support Rainier Beach.
“We want people to see that we are going in a positive direction,” added Sampson. “We want people to see that Rainier Beach has something special going on down here. So we will continue to play the top teams and prove that we have good players, good coaches and a good program.”
While specifics of the threat were not disclosed, Archbishop Murphy concluded their statement on their website by stating, “The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as The Seattle Medium receives more information.
