Game over: Eastpointe High School football players give up final game

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - The football field at Eastpointe High School will be quiet this Friday, despite the originally scheduled final game of the 2024 season after the varsity team's roster dwindled down to barely enough to run an offense.

Eastpointe High School's varsity football team will be forced to forfeit Friday night's season finale against Brandon High School in Ortonville after the team went from a roster of about 45 to less than 15.

Part of the reason for the drop was a losing season and, according to coach Aaron Davis, the team didn't have any close games at all, and he really feels bad for the kids.

"You don't want to do that. You want to make sure you can provide as many experiences and opportunities for not only the upperclassmen to get film and things like that," said Davis."But at the end of the day, priority is safety and we couldn’t safely play in that game."

The team went 0-8 and Davis said it was a tough season. Of the nine teams on the schedule, seven will make the playoffs.

Davis said it all came down to experience for his very young team.

"So when you’ve got a freshmen team being introduced to high school football and everybody that you play is in the playoffs, it’s kinda tough," Davis said.

Eastpointe High School doesn't have a junior varsity team, so most of them are freshmen and going up against juniors and seniors.

"We’ve been taking it as lessons. Culturally, we built the relationships, the bonds, the brotherhood. We’ll roll that into the winter and get into the weight room as soon as we’re able to and plan to build for a better season next year," Davis said.

For now, Davis and the team are turning to next season.