SC high school football game to be played without fans

Threats of violence posted on social media impacting Philips Simmons at Bishop England

Members of the Bishop England (South Carolina) football team posed for a photo in their bleachers during the preseason. Those some bleachers will be empty Friday night, due to safety concerns, when the Battling Bishops face Philip Simmons on the field. / Island Elite Sports Media/Bishop England Football Instagram

Official at Bishop England High School, in Charleston, South Carolina have announced that Friday's varsity football game between Bishop England and visiting Philip Simmons High School will be played with no fans in the stands.

Bishop England Principal Mary Anne Tucker and President Patrick Finneran put out a joint statement siting safety concerns.

"Out of an abundance of caution related to concerns posted on social media across the state and country containing threats of violence, and due to the current climate between our fan bases, we have reached out to the administration of Philip Simmons High School and have decided that the varsity football game between our two schools that is scheduled for tomorrow night will be played without spectators," read the statement released on Thursday.

The school plans to provide free live streaming of the contest so fans can watch the game. The junior varsity and B-team games, both scheduled for Thursday, have been cancelled.

"Safety is always our top priority and is the driving force in this decisions," the statement continued. "As a Catholic school, we strive to provide an environment that is not only safe for our community but steeped in the Gospel values of faith, hope and charity. We are disappointed these changes are necessary."

According to ABC 4 News in Charleston, Philip Simmons school officials didn't agree with Bishop England's decision to not include fans in the stands Friday and cancel the junior varsity and B-team games, but the school said it "must respect" Bishop England's changes as the host team.

Philip Simmons enters the match-up with a 2-1 record and the Iron Horses are coming off a 31-20 win over Beaufort. Bishop England is undefeated at 2-0.

"The only decision we can control is whether we show up to play on Friday night, and we plan to do just that. Bishop England has stated that they will provide a free streaming option for fans to view the game, which will be released later," a statement from Philip Simmons reads.

"It’s important to acknowledge that while we do not agree with these decisions, we can use this moment as a teachable one. The impact of negative content on social media has real consequences," the statement continues. "In this situation, the young men on both sub-varsity teams, who have worked tirelessly to prepare for this rivalry game will lose an opportunity due to the inappropriate behavior of others on social media. Likewise, our passionate fans from both sides will miss out on witnessing a great game."

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