A New York high school football program will not be suiting up for its season opener.
After pulling out of a scrimmage, Hastings decided to cancel their season-opener against Dobbs Ferry. The news was first reported by The Journal News, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The program was down to 18 eligible players, which is two above the minimum required to participate in a contest. A USA TODAY analysis suggests that participation numbers in the Empire State are on the decline, as statewide participation has dropped just under 33% since 2008 — from 38,354 to 25,874 in 2024. That comes despite New York gaining roughly 400,000 in population during that same time.
“We don’t even have a youth program anymore,” Hastings athletic director Drew Wendol told
Lohud. “We’ve been practicing but had four players injured before the scrimmage. We’re hoping that they will be cleared and ready to go, and we may have a couple of new kids registering.”
The program went 3-6 a season ago and is 9-32 since 2021. Despite the downfall in numbers, enrollment has shot up, moving the program up to Class B in New York Section 1.
With 11 seniors on the roster, Wendol does not want to fail them, and the commitment they've put in over the last 3 1/2 years by cancelling more of the season.
“We’re trying to honor the schedule … I don’t want them to lose the season,” Wendol said.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Low participation leads to NY high school football team canceling season opener
