Patchogue-Medford football team forfeits final game due to vandalism allegations, superintendent says
Patchogue-Medford High School. Credit: Tom Lambui
The Patchogue-Medford varsity football team will forfeit its final game of the season after the team was accused of vandalizing a bathroom while playing at Lindenhurst last weekend, according to an email to the district from superintendent Donna Jones obtained by Newsday.
"As a result of the inexcusable behavior and vandalism by members of the Patchogue-Medford High School Varsity Football Team to bathroom facilities at Lindenhurst School District’s Allegheny Elementary School during an away game this past weekend, Friday’s varsity football game against Sachem has been forfeited," the statement read.
In the statement, Jones said the school's athletic director and coaches met with the team on Monday and Tuesday and asked for the players responsible for the damage to take responsibility. No players did, so the decision to forfeit was made.
"While several players indicated they had heard about the vandalism, no student ... took responsibility," the statement read.
A call to Patchogue-Medford coach Bob DeSilva was not immediately returned.
Patchogue-Medford (2-5) was scheduled to play Sachem East (2-5) on Friday.
Jones said Lindenhurst's maintenance department said only Pat-Med's football team had access to the building last weekend.
"The damage and defacement of another school’s facilities while we are guests in their district is completely unacceptable," the statement said.
Lindenhurst football coach Mark Frole said the incident will change the protocol for away games.
"When we travel we make sure we respect the facilities in the other schools," Frole said. "We never forget that we're guests. It's common courtesy that when you use the locker rooms and bathrooms at other schools that you leave them the way you found them. This incident will change the way everyone does things when they travel. We'll also have a coach or a supervisor go into the bathrooms after everyone is out and make sure it's left the way we found it."
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
