FENNVILLE, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Sept. 21, 2023) – For the third consecutive autumn, one of the eight high schools along the Lakeshore that field a varsity gridiron football team has had to cut short their season due to attrition.
On Tuesday, Fennville High officials announced that they are pulling the plug on the Blackhawks’ eight-man campaign due to injuries among “several key players on the varsity team” which led to a large majority of the remaining performers being ninth and 10th graders. FHS was outscored 182-56 in its four losses thus far, although the Hawks did have a close setback to visiting Calvin Christian last Friday, 28-20.
Fennville went to eight-man football two years ago due to dwindling numbers in the program, going 5-4 and 4-5 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. It could not compete in the state tournament due to exceeding the maximum number of enrolled students for eight-man qualification.
In a Tuesday statement, district Athletic Director Wendell Hughes III said that the future of the program is still strong, and that the Blackhawks will return to varsity play next fall.
Last year, Holland High halted its varsity football program after four games, and in 2021, Saugatuck also called quits on the gridiron following three weeks of action, both under similar circumstances to that of Fennville. Each of those schools resumed a full schedule the following season.
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