A Message to Our School and Community
Dear Students, Families, Alumni, and Community Members,
We are writing today to provide an important update regarding our varsity football program and the remainder of the 2026 season.
Over the course of the season, our football team has faced an unusually high number of injuries while also relying heavily on a very young roster. After careful consideration and consultation with school administration, coaching staff, and medical personnel, we have determined that we do not currently have enough healthy student-athletes available to safely field a varsity team this week.
As a result, we will be forfeiting our Friday game against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.
To ensure that our senior student-athletes have the opportunity to be recognized and celebrated, we will designate the September 18 game as our Senior Night. We still have concerns about player safety and health, but we look forward to honoring the dedication, commitment, and contributions of our seniors alongside their families, teammates, coaches, and supporters.
Following the Momence game, we will forfeit the remaining contests on our varsity football schedule for the 2026 season. This difficult decision reflects our responsibility to protect our students and to avoid placing them in situations that could compromise their health and safety. It also allows us to be fair and equitable to all groups involved in our game-day experience, including our cheerleaders, marching band members, families, opponents, and community supporters.
We understand that this news will be disappointing to many. Our student-athletes, coaches, and supporters have invested tremendous time, effort, and passion into this season. However, we firmly believe this course of action is in the best interest of our students and our school community.
As we look ahead to Homecoming Week on October 9, we are actively exploring opportunities to provide a community event that evening. More information will be shared with the community once plans have been finalized.
We appreciate the understanding, support, and encouragement our community continues to show our students. The resilience, character, and determination demonstrated by these young people throughout this challenging season have been remarkable, and we remain committed to providing them with a positive and safe athletic experience.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and our school.
Sincerely,
Robert Richardson
Superintendent
Chip Glass
Varsity Football Head Coach