Plainsmen forfeit this Friday’s game due to injuries

In what may be an unprecedented move, the Plainsmen football team will not play Friday due to injuries suffered in the Hitchcock County game two weeks ago.

The Plainsmen are coming off a bye week, which hopefully was going to allow some kids to get back. 

However, Coach Jonathan Hunt said they still have some players out and others who are unable to play this week.

As a result, the Plainsmen will forfeit their homecoming game with Morrill Friday night. 

Hunt said they would have gone into the game with nine, or possibly 10 players. Of those, seven would be freshmen. 

He said it’s the program’s full intention to be ready to travel to Kimball for their game next week. 

However, he said it’s still a week-to-week decision. 

Hunt said he didn’t want a situation where Morrill would travel to Grant and then the Plainsmen not be able to finish the game if more kids got hurt.

He said he didn’t feel it was fair to the young kids to put them in that situation when they are building a culture and the kids are excited about playing football. 

The fact the Plainsmen are ineligible for the D1 playoffs this season also played a factor in the decision, Hunt said. 

While the Plainsmen only started the season with 16 players, playoff eligibility is determined by student enrollment.  

Eight-man D-1 teams can exceed the enrollment limit for two years and still be eligible for playoffs. However this was the third year Perkins County exceeded the limit, making them ineligible. 

Homecoming

The pep rally will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by coronation. The homecoming dance will begin at 8 p.m.