CLINTONVILLE (NBC26) — Clintonville High School will have a flag football intra-squad scrimmage for homecoming after having to cancel its football game.
The school was originally scheduled to play against the Peshtigo football team, but the Peshtigo team is unable to play due to COVID-19. According to a letter to parentsfrom the Clintonville School District superintendent, the Peshtigo team does not have enough players.
The high school's athletic director reached out to schools statewide and out of state, but was unable to find a school available to play. All other Clintonville homecoming activities will proceed as normal.
“Our athletic director reached out to local schools first and then we reached out to schools across the state of Wisconsin and even into Minnesota and upper Michigan. We really wanted to try to get a homecoming game in but unfortunately we were unable to do that,” said Clintonville School District Superintendent Troy Kuhn.
Unable to find a replacement, the school let the students decide what to do next.
“We had a meeting with the seniors and the captains of the football team and they choose to do a flag football event," Kuhn said. "We’re still going to have our honors and recognition like we normally would during homecoming activities and the football game.”
School officials say they aren’t letting the circumstances put a damper on their celebrations.
"They just want to be under the lights and celebrating with their peers. That's really what homecoming is about is getting together and the community and the students so that's what we're really trying to focus on instead of the football game," said Shaun Leisch, the Clintonville High School activities director.
“Students these days are so adaptable in the days of COVID," Kuhn said. "The kids, the leaders of the football team, other leaders in the school came forward and said hey let's make the best out of it, let's have fun, we only get to do this one time as senior so let's roll with it."
