Bishop Sycamore no stranger to Northeast Ohio football teams

LAKEWOOD, OH — As the controversy continues about the legitimacy of Columbus-based Bishop Sycamore High School, we're learning more about the football program's history in Northeast Ohio.

While Sunday's blowout loss in Canton on national television put Bishop Sycamore under a microscope, it turns out it's not the school's first big-name football opponent.

Last fall, St. Ignatius, Aurora, Massillon and St. Edward all played Bishop Sycamore.

Like Sunday's game which raised concerns about player safety, all those games against Northeast Ohio teams ended in double-digit losses for Bishop Sycamore.

But that didn't prevent the team from scheduling a re-match with St. Edward's.

The two schools are scheduled to play in Lakewood on Sept. 25th.

So how did that happen?

Bishop Sycamore is not a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

But a spokesman for the organization said Tuesday that member schools are allowed to schedule regular-season games against whatever teams they chose.

Both the athletic director and communications manager from St. Edward High School did not respond to repeated inquiries Tuesday about the future of the school's game against Bishop Sycamore.

A number of teams across the nation announced they were canceling games with the school.

Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying he's concerned not only about the safety of players, but also Bishop Sycamore's operations.

The governor said he's asked the Ohio Department of Education to conduct an investigation "to ensure compliance with Ohio law and to ensure the school is providing the educational opportunities Ohio schools deserve."

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