Bishop Sycamore will forever go down in sports infamy for presenting itself as a legal high school and high school football team and finessing its way into a 2021 nationally televised game against one of the top high school football teams in the nation.
Christian Academy To Play Bishop Sycamore?
According to Life Christian Academy football coach David Fitzgerald, they have Bishop Sycamore listed on their schedule and actually will be playing them.
Fitzgerald does believe that Bishop Sycamore is on the path to redemption and that they’re seriously trying to legitimately rebuild their organization the right way.
Richmond Times Dispatch quoted Fitzgerald as saying “Bishop Sycamore, they’re in a rebuilding process, and they basically have worked with a very reputable company that matches high school football games up,”
So in a way he is extending them a lifeline, but Life Christian Academy, which sits at 1-7 in the VISAA Division I could use a pick-me-up game (easy target) as well to get their program back on track.
Fitzgerald, who just joined Life Christian Academy as their head coach, is trying to schedule more games with local opponents in order to meet eligibility requirements to make the playoffs as well.
“They’re looking to rebound and possibly enter into a league we play in. We needed to fill a game, and we were presented with the opportunity. We spoke with their coaching staff and felt comfortable that they were legitimately moving forward in the right direction.
“We’re a Christian school, we believe in second chances, and we wanted to make this happen.
Life Christian and Bishop Sycamore Have Common Traits
Life Christian is the program from Virginia that made the trek to Pennsylvania to start the football season by getting smoked 87-0 by Imhotep Charter in York Suburban’s “Rose Bowl Classic.”
The loss was so bad that social media started comparing the school to Bishop Sycamore and questioning the program’s validity. Sycamore lost to IMG Academy 58-0 in that infamous and unforgettable game.
Who Is Roy Johnson?
Bishop Sycamore, led by head coach Roy Johnson, was accused of forming a fraudulent team and a fake school in order to play against other high school teams. Some of the players were not even qualified to play for the team, which explains why no one had ever even heard of the team before their game.
They also played two football games in the span of three days, something no football player should ever endure in such a dangerous sport. But within those three days, they dropped both games, including the 58-0 thrashing to IMG Academy from Florida.
Second Chances
According to the Richmond Times Dispatch, Fitzgerald couldn’t disclose who is matchmaking their football games, but did say that his football team, the Life Christian Academy Eagles, play in the East Coast Power Prep league. They also noted that Bishop Sycamore is also hoping to join that same football league.
The original date was set for Nov. 10, but ultimately the programs decided on Nov. 9 and are awaiting confirmation to play the game.
