Holy Cross is forfeiting its Week 1 high school football opener at Lakeland, the school announced Monday evening.

The Crusaders are starting the season with 19 players on the roster, with many of them having no varsity playing experience. Holy Cross graduated 12 players from its 2025 roster.

“Our football program is something that we are proud to have,” Holy Cross principal Ben Tolerico said. “Our players work very hard and are committed to the program. Our numbers are lower than we have had recently, and we are also dealing with some injuries. With those low numbers and with the safety of our players as our main priority, we are unable to compete on Friday night against Lakeland.

“It is disappointing for us, and I am sure disappointing for Lakeland and its players who have been preparing for this game all summer, but for the safety of our players and the program, we need to make this difficult decision.”

Holy Cross, a Class 1A team, plays Riverside in Week 2 and Dunmore in Week 3. Those programs have won each of the last three District 2 Class 2A championships.

Low participation numbers plagued the Holy Cross program in the past. The administration cancelled the 2019 season when the team had only 12 players on the roster. It also forfeited a Week 3 game against Mid Valley in 2022.

Recently, however, Holy Cross had back-to-back, three-win seasons and played in Eastern Conference Class 1A/2A playoff games against Old Forge and Upper Dauphin. The Crusaders also earned an Eastern Conference game in 2021.

There is no indication that the situation could cost the program the season, Tolerico said.

“We feel that we have 19-20 kids, and when the few that are injured return, and with the hope of school starting, we can garner more interest; we think that we can compete,” Tolerico said. “It is not our intention to have to forfeit this season. We are going to do our best to try to field a team on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons.”

Lakeland, which scrimmaged Schuylkill Haven on Saturday, earns a win and will start preparing for its Week 2 game at Lake-Lehman.

“Obviously, we are disappointed as a team,” Lakeland head coach David Piwowarczyk said. “This allows us to give our guys some extra practice time and fix some things from our scrimmage. Sometimes, from a bad thing, good things can happen.”