OBSERVER Staff Report

GOWANDA — With only seven games in the regular season for high school football in Section VI, opportunities for the players to see the field are at a premium. Unfortunately, one of those opportunities just went away for a pair of local teams.

This Friday night, there will be no football game in Gowanda. The Gowanda/Pine Valley Panthers have forfeited their Class C South football game scheduled for Friday against the Southwestern Trojans. The decision was announced on Monday. The official score is 1-0 Southwestern, but in terms of the standings, Southwestern will be awarded a 20-0 win to account for potential point differential scenarios.

“Gowanda had a rash of injuries last week and is unable to field the required 16 players,” Ken Stoldt, Section VI Football Chairman, said in an email to media outlets on Monday.

Southwestern now improves to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in Class C South after the decision, while Gowanda/Pine Valley falls to 0-6 overall and 0-5 in Class C South. Southwestern hosts Cassadaga Valley/Falconer on Oct. 18 to close out the regular season in Lakewood. It is unclear whether Gowanda/Pine Valley will be able to play its final game of the season, Oct. 18 at Portville.