The Black Knights football season, which started as an uphill climb, has ended in an abrupt end, as the team will cancel the rest of its 2015 season, finishing, officially, 0-7.
Injuries in a Week 7 loss to Lutheran East forced coaches and administrators to make the difficult decision.
“As much as I didn’t want it to happen, it happened,” said Tim Glodowski, the second-year head coach who agonized over the issue. “I didn’t get any sleep last week. I literally sat in the weight room by myself and thought, what is happening?”
The Black Knights lost five players in their loss to the Falcons, 44-0, which was ended in the third quarter. Two of the team’s top players were injured, Johnny Chambers and Tommy McKale. And of the three others, the last Black Knight taken off the field was on a stretcher.
“It’s a coach’s worst nightmare to call a game in the third quarter,” Glodowski said.
The team watched film the next morning and practiced last week until it was determined Thursday only 12 players would be eligible for its Week 8 game against the Vienna Mathews Mustangs.
Glodowski said at that point it was a safety and liability issue.
The team practiced Monday like it would play, but getting players cleared by doctors was a concern. Glodowski and Athletic Director Anthony Forfia then decided it would best to cancel the remainder the season.
“Some kids were angry, some kids were shocked,” Glodowski said. “We told them we’re not giving up on you guys. We just can’t play with 12 players.”
The team started the season with 19 on its varsity roster — grades 9 through 12 — before some quit, some were asked to leave because of off-field issues, and others had limited ability due to age or skill level. Newbury is also unlike most football teams in that three of its members also play in the marching band on Friday nights.
“We’re really like a junior varsity team when you look at our ages,” Glodowski said. “But these kids bust their butts.”
Newbury finished its 2008 season 0-10 with just 12 players available by season’s end, although that team did not have some of the same restrictions as this year’s team.
Glodowski was asked by one player if he’d be back next year. “I have no reason not to be here unless they ask me not to come back,” he said. “Hopefully the community still backs us. I signed on the dotted line to turn this program around.”