H.S. Football Team Cancels Season

[sticky]

Coach: Continuing season would be unsafe

OSCODA, Mich. (AP) - Oscoda Area High School's football team hasn't won a game, or even scored a point, in four games this season. Now the school district has decided to cancel the remaining games.

Despite pleas from players and parents, the board in the small northern Michigan district recently upheld the school's earlier decision to end the season, saying players risked injury in trying to take on much stronger opponents.

"When you go to a game on Friday night and see a team physically dominated, those are the indisputable facts," said coach Kyle Tobin.

"Seniors, I feel for you. There's nothing I can say other than I'm sorry," said board member Neal Sweet. "But you're not quitters. You went out there and did your best."

Tobin said the team was not physically competitive, had too few players and faced a tough schedule in the North East Michigan Conference, The Bay City Times reported.

Senior quarterback Mike Gondek pleaded with the school board to reconsider the school's Sept. 19 decision to cancel the remaining games.

"All I ever wanted to do was play football," Gondek said. "My teammates never felt so unsafe that we didn't want to be out there."

Tobin, who is in his first year as head coach at the 530-student school, defended his decision to recommend calling off the season.

"I have 28 years of coaching experience in high school and college, and I know the difference between a team playing bad and a team that's unsafe," he said.

The scores in Oscoda's games this season were 46-0 against Flint Hamady on Aug. 25, 30-0 against Whittemore-Prescott on Aug. 31, 44-0 against West Branch Ogemaw Heights on Sept. 8 and 44-0 against Tawas on Sept. 15.

Oscoda forfeited its game Friday against Pinconning and had four more games left on its schedule.

Tobin coached the Whittemore-Prescott football team to three state finals and one championship before leaving three years ago.

He said Oscoda High could barely meet the minimum number of players needed to field a team. He said one reason was that it did not have a junior varsity football team last year. It also lost several players to injuries.

Coaches put several sophomore players on the junior varsity team so they could compete and train without so great a risk of injury.

Some in the audience of about 100 people Monday spoke in Tobin's support.

"When you have a coach who comes and says 'unsafe,' it's not about the band, the boosters or the cheerleaders. It's about some kid getting paralyzed," said Terry Ekdahl, whose has a son on the junior varsity team.

[Guest ECBucFan]

Man, I feel for these players. Although I disagree with the decision to stop playing, I respect the motive behind the choice.

With that being said, I can relate. I played on a HORRIBLE team (not EC).

We were short on numbers, due to lack of interest first, then injuries. I endured scores worse than 30-0 or 40-0, to be honest. Physically overmatched was an understatement. We were run to death, never leaving the field during the game.

Despite all this, some of my greatest memories were playing ball. I actually "lit up" as the overmatches grew, and played my best ball when the disadvantage was the greatest. I believe these players are being cheated out of their Friday nights. They would have survived it all, of that I am certain. :|

[kicker]

I think they should let them play or transfer to another school.

[vp93]

Yeah, it's not right. It is punishing the the athlete's for living where they are.