Marysville High School head football coach Brent Johnson talks to members of his team during a recent preseason scrimmage. The Monarchs will not open their season this weekend as Cleveland Collinwood canceled the game with MHS that was scheduled to be played at Monarch Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
It’s going to be a strange late August Friday night today in Marysville.
There will be no football for the Monarchs.
MHS wasn’t scheduled to kick off its 2021 season this evening.
The Monarchs were, however, slated to host Cleveland Collinwood Saturday at 2 p.m.
Collinwood had to back out of the contest late last week because of a roster numbers problem.
The Railroaders would have suited up only 15 or so players against a Monarch force of 87.
The math obviously didn’t work out to Collinwood’s liking, so school officials decided to cancel the game.
It will go down as a forfeit victory for the Monarchs.
I know each of the Marysville players and coaches really wanted to play a game this weekend.
However, it’s doubtful an actual victory over a depleted Collinwood team would have enhanced MHS’ computer playoff points all that much.
There was an 11th hour attempt to schedule a game for Marysville for tonight.
Monarch officials reached out to Columbus Bishop Watterson to see if the Eagles would be willing to play tonight.
From what I heard, Marysville players were excited and hopeful for a game.
In the end, however, Bishop Watterson declined that offer.
It would have been difficult to prepare for an opponent in just a day’s time.
That small of a window wouldn’t have left any real time to watch films and formulate a game plan.
It’s disappointing for everyone in Monarch Nation that no games is being played this weekend.
There is, however, a bit of a silver lining.
MHS coaches and players will now have the time to scout Lancaster in person when the Golden Gales play tonight at Pickerington North.