Highland cancels third football game. Rest of season uncertain

RIVERSIDE — Highland schools have forfeited another football game, their third in a row since the program’s head coach resigned amid a low-scoring start to the season marked by player injuries and a small roster.

The Sept. 26 competition — an away game at Danville — was set to be the opposition’s Homecoming game. On its Facebook page, the school district in Des Moines County announced last week that it would move its Homecoming festivities to the week of Oct. 5-11, instead, and subsequently rescheduled picture day to accommodate Homecoming celebrations.

Decision-makers at Highland haven’t commented on whether the high school’s football team will play again this season.

“We will work through this internally and are committed to collaborating with our team to reach a thoughtful solution that best supports our students and community,” Highland Superintendent Spencer Lueders said in an email Sept. 22. “We anticipate having an answer soon.”

Highland Activities Director Jody Fink and Assistant football coach Drake Brezina have not returned requests for comments on the remaining football season. School board President Nate Robinson declined to expand further on the fate of any games in October, but said it was “still a fluid process.”

In a Facebook post Sept. 10, resigned Football Coach Cory Quail suggested his departure was intended to end Highland’s season, after a handful of injuries whittled the high school team’s football roster down from 21 to 13 players healthy enough to play.

“I tendered my resignation with hope that it would force the decision to not play another football game this season for player protection,” Quail wrote. “It was not safe to be out on that field last Friday night and anyone who saw us trying to put receivers in lineman jerseys would agree. That scenario will not change over the course of this year. I will not put our kids in an unsafe place to selfishly build ego for competition.”

Quail went on to clarify that he remained on the payroll as a P.E. teacher at Highland and weight room coach for numerous other activities. He added that the Huskies’ middle school team was going strong as well, after starting the season with a 26-player roster.

With Danville off the schedule, the Huskies still have three kickoffs scheduled this season, including a home game against Columbus Oct. 10, matches with Van Buren County and Midland, the former of which is on Homecoming week for the opponent.

The Southeast Iowa Union’s Jack Knowlton contributed to this report.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com