Citing safety fears, struggling Treasure Valley football team forfeits rest of its season

The Payette High football team entered the year struggling after graduating 13 seniors and not returning a single starter on either side of the ball.

But the Pirates took an almost unthinkable step Friday, forfeiting the rest of their varsity season because of mounting injuries and academically ineligible players.

“In the interest of safety for freshman and sophomore athletes, we are not moving JV players up to fill open positions,” Payette Superintendent Robin R. Gilbert said in a written statement. “At this time, we are unsure if or when players will be released to return to the field.”

Payette entered the week 0-5 and could have won its first game with Parma (0-5) coming to town Friday. But the Pirates canceled their league opener Thursday, then followed Friday by forfeiting the remaining three regular-season games, against Weiser, Homedale and Fruitland.

Payette Athletic Director Bob Dixon told the Idaho Press that the Pirates had only eight available varsity players for this week’s game.

Payette, a longtime league member of the 3A Snake River Valley, has struggled on the football field for years. The Pirates last finished above .500 in 2009 when they reached the state semifinals. Since going 5-5 in 2012, Payette was 5-41 entering the week and lost games 47-0, 56-0 and 70-0 this fall.

With four straight forfeits to end the season — their entire conference schedule — the Pirates drop to 5-45 in the past six years.

Forfeits remain common at 1A schools playing eight-man football due to their small size. But Payette remains an outlier as a 3A program. It had 441.5 students during the last Idaho High School Activities Association count, which was for the 2016-17 school year.

Gilbert said Payette canceled the rest of its varsity season to allow opponents to try to find makeup games. She said Payette will continue to play a JV schedule to finish the season and will move games to Friday nights if possible to honor the remaining seniors, cheerleaders and band members.

Weiser had planned to host Payette for its homecoming Oct. 5. Weiser Athletic Director Tyler Grant said the Wolverines are searching for options to fill their schedule.

“We regret any inconvenience or financial impact to others,” Gilbert said, “but this decision was driven by the health and welfare of our Pirates, first and foremost.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2018 at 3:23 PM.