First-year head coach David Fitzgerald of Life Christian Academy told the paper his team would face Bishop Sycamore on Nov. 9 at Virginia State University.
"We're a Christian school, we believe in second chances, and we wanted to make this happen," Fitzgerald told the Times-Dispatch.
Life Christian Academy is a member of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association but isn't eligible for the postseason since it doesn't play enough local competition, according to the article. The Eagles have played traditional prep powers like
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and
Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio) this season.
Bishop Sycamore, the school that gained infamy and sparked documentaries for its fraudulent football program in 2022, is reportedly going to play a Nov. 9 game against Life Christian Academy of Virginia. (Photo: Jeff Harwell)
Bishop Sycamore gained infamy after a 58-0 loss to national power
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) on ESPN, a game that raised questions about the legitimacy of the school that turned into investigations. Those queries uncovered a series of lies by founder Roy Johnson trying to prop up the school that had no official classrooms.
"The facts suggest that Bishop Sycamore High School was, and is, in fact, a scam," the Ohio Department of Investigation concluded in a report.
Who will be taking the field for Bishop Sycamore and why it is playing its first game of the season in November are questions that remain unanswered for now.
"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," Fitzgerald told the paper.
