The Empire Football League has yet to make a decision on how to approach last Saturday’s suspended semipro football game between the Watertown Red and Black and Albany Metro Mallers, and will not do so until the annual year-end meeting on Sept. 30, according to Red and Black head coach, George Ashcraft.

“As of right now, there is no winner or loser or anything like that,” Ashcraft said. “This will be worked out at the end of the year.”

Albany led Watertown 13-7 at halftime at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds last Saturday, when it was discovered that the Metro Mallers’ locker room had been broken into during the first half.

Money, cell phones, iPods, and other personal belongings were reported missing by Albany players and coaches. Albany’s owner said one player had a handgun stolen.

“We had our team on the field ready to play the second half,” Ashcraft said. “Albany decided they didn’t want to finish the game, and with what happened to them, that’s understandable. It was a terrible thing.”

Resuming the game seems unlikely, as the EFL playoffs are slated to begin on Oct. 6, just six days after the league’s year-end meeting.

Both teams are idle on Sept. 1, as is the entire league for Labor Day weekend. Ashcraft said that resuming the game on that date will not happen, and was not discussed by the league as an option.

Last Saturday’s game was the only scheduled matchup between the two teams this season.

Both Albany (3-1) and Watertown (3-2) are in contention for the league’s regular-season title, and each team is currently in position to make the EFL playoffs. Syracuse (5-1) leads the league, followed by Albany. Watertown is tied for third with Montreal (3-2), and holds the tiebreaker due to beating the Voyageurs in their only meeting this season.

The Red and Black’s next game is Sept. 8 at Amsterdam. The team returns to the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds to host the Glens Falls Greenjackets on Sept. 15.

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