The Bishop Sycamore scandal continued to unravel on Wednesday.
The troubled high school's remaining football opponents called off their matchups or indicated their intent to do so, NBC News reported, effectively ending the beleaguered team's season.
The team, nicknamed the Centurions, had just three games remaining on the schedule following a slew of official cancelations earlier on Wednesday.
Separately, it was reported the sketchy online-only charter school bounced checks totaling nearly $3,600 for its weekend hotel stay during the recent ESPN-televised football showcase where it first came under national scrutiny, according to the Canton Repository.
The school rented 25 rooms at a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Canton, Ohio, the report said, for the weekend football series dubbed the GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff. A police report indicated there were two suspects, with the investigation involving "passing bad checks" or forgery.
The reports come amid mounting questions about the team's legitimacy. The supposed remote-learning institution is officially based out of Columbus, Ohio, though it didn't have a clear physical location, and its scarcely updated web site, which lacked even basic contact information, had been taken down.
The Centurions were 0-2 to start the season, including a 58-0 drubbing at the hands of IMG Academy on Sunday. It was during that nationally televised blowout when ESPN analysts said they had essentially been duped into showcasing a team that was apparently unfit to be on the field.
It was later revealed the team was comprised mostly of 19- and 20-year-old post-graduates, and, perhaps most disturbing, played on Sunday with only one day of rest after suiting up against Pittsburgh-area school Sto-Rox on Friday. The team reportedly has only about 30-odd players, many of which played both ways and even had to share pads and helmets.
In the wake of the budding scandal, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said the state's Department of Education would be investigating the school.
"Schools like Bishop Sycamore have an obligation under Ohio law to meet certain minimum standards," DeWine said on Tuesday. "Whether Bishop Sycamore meets these standards is not clear."
As well, the team's head coach, Roy Johnson, parted ways with the team. It was also reported that Johnson was facing an active warrant in Delaware, Ohio, on charges of criminal mischief stemming from a domestic violence case, as well as multiple civil lawsuits.
Also on Tuesday, Andre Peterson, who touts himself as a founder and director of the school, as well as the coach of the football team's offensive and defensive lines, told USA Today that Bishop Sycamore is not a scam, claiming that his own son is enrolled there. Peterson played college football at Youngstown State under former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, the report said.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram