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West Virginia high school cancels 2025 season due to low player numbers

IMG_8358by:Andy Villamarzo•06/19/25•

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Streeter Lecka | Getty Images

Coming off a 7-4 season, the Weirton Madonna Blue Dons have been a winning high school football program out of the state of West Virginia. The Blue Dons qualified for the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) Class A playoffs in 2024.

On Wednesday, the West Virginia high school confirmed they won’t be fielding a football team for the 2025 season.

According to a WTRF.com report, Weirton Madonna school officials said they won’t field a football team due to the low number of committed student-athletes.

“Due to an insufficient number of student-athletes committing to participate, we will be unable to field a football team at Madonna High School for the 2025–2026 season,” Madonna prinicipal Jason Heckathorn said via the report. “Without sufficient numbers, we simply cannot ensure a safe and productive experience for our players.”

Madonna isn’t the first case this summer along the East Coast when it comes to a high school football program shutting down after reaching the postseason the year before.

Down in the Sunshine State, Tallahassee St. John Paul II has shutdown its football program for the 2025 season, citing a lack of players. Just last season, the Panthers had won a district championship and reached Florida’s Class 1A postseason in 2024.

‘Just confirmed that St. John Paul II in Tallahassee has closed the football program down for this year (at least as far as we know for now). Apparently the short roster last year (despite winning the district), left them with very few left players for 2025. Just sad to see this happen. Does look like those players have since found new homes.‘

The WTRF report says the school is planning to try and offer football for the 2026-2027 school year if enough interest is there.

Madonna school officials said their athletics department would still offer boys sports such as baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and track & field.

Last season, the Blue Dons fielded a team of less than 25 players with seven of them being seniors. Many freshman players had to play a significant role on the team, including quarterback Maddox Bowen, who threw for 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns.