Columbus City Schools decided to cancel the upcoming high school football game between Beechcroft and Northland due to cryptic safety concerns. The forced forfeiture could have a major impact on the playoffs in Ohio.
However, the contest was likely going to yield the same result anyway.
This preemptive high school football cancelation comes just a few days after a targeted shooting. It is unclear as to whether these two things are related but one can assume.
Beechcroft will not play Northland.
Columbus City Schools made the official call to cancel the final game of the regular season for both programs, which was originally scheduled for Friday. It was not the decision of either school.
Beechcroft, founded in 1976, enrolls approximately 650 students in grades 9-12. Northland, founded 10 years earlier, enrolls approximately 950 students in grades 9-12.
These two schools are separated by only 2.2 miles on the north side of Columbus, Ohio.
The rivalry game between these two nearby high school football programs will not be played as scheduled. It was canceled in the week prior to kickoff.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association granted Northland with a forfeit win. Beechcroft will receive a forfeit loss. That ruling could have a huge impact on the playoffs.
“We try to look at the reasoning for everything happening,” OHSAA football administrator Beau Rugg told The Columbus Dispatch. “We’re leaning more and more to, if it’s late in the season and somebody has to cancel, we’ve got to go (with a) forfeit. (Eitel) looked at all the scenarios, and a lot has to happen for Northland not to make the playoffs. We’re reasonably sure they’re going to make it, but it’s not a done deal until everybody plays.”
The Cougars of Beechcroft won only three of their first nine games and will not make the playoffs. Their season is over.
The Vikings of Northland won six of their first nine games. They are currently ranked 11th in Division II, Region 7 but they have not yet clinched a playoff berth. This free win almost guarantees the Vikings will get in at 7-3 overall and 5-1 in the City League-North. The top 12 teams in each region receive a bid.
The Ohio high school football game is canceled for safety concerns after a shooting.
Columbus City Schools cited “ongoing concern directly involving the safety of Beechcroft High School football student-athletes” for the cancellation. The decision was made “following several incidents of concern to the Principal and leadership team.”
Although the district would not provide specific details about the nature of these incidents, it likely relates to a shooting at Beechcroft on Saturday night. Two juveniles and one adult were listed as victims.
According to the preliminary investigation report from Columbus police, the victims were waiting for an Uber outside of the high school. They told officers that the shooters asked if they were part of the football team right before the shots were fired. They could not see the shooters’ faces because they were wearing masks. The victims are expected to survive.
When asked whether the game cancellation is related to the shooting, district officials would not confirm. I would guess it is.