BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The cancelled football game between Wheeling Park and Bridgeport during week two of the season will be listed as a tie for both teams when it comes to the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission’s official playoff ratings.
Bridgeport and Wheeling Park were in a scoreless tie near the end of the first quarter before lightning moved into the area and ultimately forced the two sides to call off the game. No make-up date was made as the two sides agreed not to continue the game.
According to the National Federation of High School football rulebook, rule 3-1-4 reads:
“Games interrupted because of events beyond the control of responsible administration authority shall be continued from the point of interruption, unless the teams agree to terminate the game with the existing score.”
Since Friday’s game had an existing score of 0-0 when play was terminated, the result will go down as a tie.
“You can continue the game (at a later time), but if you terminate it, the score will stand at the point of termination,” said SSAC executive director Gary Ray. “All coaches are provided the same rule book that the officials and everyone else gets. Once a game starts, there has to be a finality to it one way or another. Both sides have been very professional and cooperative.”
How does a tie affect the SSAC ratings? Wheeling Park will receive 4.5 base points (usually 9 for a win over AA) and then 1/2 of a point for each game won by Bridgeport in its class or higher. Bridgeport, meanwhile, will receive 9 base points for the tie (usually 12 points for a win over a AAA opponent) and 1/2 of a point for each game won by Wheeling Park in its class or higher.
Wheeling Park will enter the week at 0-0-1, while Bridgeport will be 1-0-1.
The WVSSAC points system is posted below: