CADOTT, Wis. (WEAU) – A high school that announced it would cancel its varsity football season will get a new shot at varsity competition, though without the possibility of a playoff berth.

A news release from Cadott High School Superintendent Joe Zydowsky says Cadott and Cornell High School will combine programs for the rest of the 2012 football season.

The release says Cornell High School also had canceled the rest of its varsity schedule for 2012 this week because of injuries and a lack of participation.

The release says Cornell Head Coach Craig Braaten will lead the varsity team, which will be based out of Cornell. Cadott Head Coach Perry Myren will take over the junior varsity and c-team.

Other varsity teams that had been scheduled to play against Cadott or Cornell this year will receive forfeit wins for conference games. WIAA rules prohibit the co-op team’s wins from counting as season wins, and do not let the co-op team compete in the playoffs.

The schools are working with other schools on a 2012 schedule. The news release says information “about scheduling, homecoming and the future of the respective football programs will be released as available.”

"Once we decided we couldn't field a team for the rest of the season, our goal was to come up with a solution that would still allow our students to play football this year," Cadott superintendent Joe Zydowsky said.

Earlier this week, the schools announced each of their varsity football programs season would be cancelled for the year, but conversations between the schools lead to the combination.

"I had heard that Cadott had already forfeited their season, I thought it'd be a great opportunity for us to get our kids together," Cornell superintendent Dr. Paul Schley said.

Although the new team's wins won't count in the record books, the general consensus in both towns is that having a team is better than no team at all.

"I think it's gonna be a good idea, otherwise they wouldn't be playing at all. .. You hate for the juniors and seniors not to be playing at all," Cadott fan Randy Nye said.

"I respect the coaches, because the younger kids do take a beating, because most of the young kids, when you're a freshman like that, you're nothing but a punching bag," Cornell fan Cub Helgerson said.

The players haven't practiced together yet, they don't have a nickname for the team or a schedule, and the schools say they're not sure what will happen to the team after this season either, but fans still say they're excited to go to games.

"I always support them. Win or lose, I always go to (the games)," Helgerson said.

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Football Press Release

Joe Zydowsky 09/07/12 09:36 AM CST

This week both the Cadott High School and Cornell High School varsity football teams had to cancel the remainder of their varsity schedules due to low participation and several key injuries. In an effort to continue providing opportunities for students, the two schools have decided to combine programs for the remainder of the 2012 football season.

The Cadott/Cornell Co-op will feature teams at three levels; varsity, junior varsity and c-team. The varsity team will be based out of Cornell and will be coached by Cornell Head Coach Craig Braaten and the Cornell football coaching staff. The junior varsity and c-team levels will be based out of Cadott and coached by Cadott Head Coach Perry Myren and the Cadott football coaching staff. Several games have been scheduled at each level, and the remaining schedules may or may not include games at both sites for each level.

In accordance to WIAA rules, any games played by the combined varsity team cannot be counted as season wins and the co-op team cannot qualify for the WIAA playoffs. The varsity teams previously scheduled to compete against Cadott or Cornell will receive a forfeit victory for all conference competitions.

Currently the coaching staffs and administrators from Cadott and Cornell are working with other school and conference officials to finalize schedules for the remainder of the 2012 season. Details about scheduling, homecoming and the future of the respective football programs will be released as available.

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Cadott, Wis. (WEAU)- Seeing the players working hard at practice, one would have never guessed that they just had their varsity football season canceled.

The decision to cancel all varsity football games for the rest of the year has not only hit the players hard, but the community as well.

Former coach and player Patrick Rothbauer was there when the team became state champs in 99. Now that it’s come to this he says it’s devastating.

“It’s sad, I’ve had a lot of years associated with the football team and whenever I’m with friends we realize have a lot of good memories," said Rothbauer.

Those Friday night games that everyone looks forward too are now just going to be another day.

“Cadott is a small school, but it’s just this one time that the senior and junior group doesn't have a lot of players. It’s not because people aren’t working hard, the coaching staff is great. This is just unfortunate," said Rothbauer.

The team started out with 16 players, but was reduced to 14 after a couple concussions and a knee injury. Of the player that would be able to play this Friday, most of them are underclassmen.

"When we are putting freshman and sophmores against juniors and seniors we need to step back and consider the safety and welfare of our kids," said Varisty Coach, Perry Myren.

Coach Myren is still trying to figure out how he can still keep his team active this season.

“We don’t know about the seniors yet. We are still exploring options, and we don’t have anything concrete yet," said Myren.

The team is getting ready for a JV game against Spencer on Thursday. The seniors will not be able to play.

The varsity canelation will be for this year only. Coach Myren expects there to be a full team next year.

5 seniors, 2 juniors, 6 sophomores and 1 freshman make up the remaining 14 players. The coach says the district is trying to build up their youth football program to have stronger teams down the road.
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Eau Claire, Wis. (WEAU) - Cleats will not be hitting the turf for football season this year for one area high school.

Due to low participation and several key injuries,Cadott High School will be cancelling the remaining Varsity Football schedule for 2012.

In a letter to area athletic directors, Cadott Athletic Director James Sekel says the team started the year with 16 varsity players, and they are now down to 14 varsity players (5 seniors, 2 juniors, 6 sophomores, 1 freshmen). The team is down three varsity players (two concussions and one season ending knee injury) and have two questionable players (knee injury and fractured rib injury).

Sekal says his concern is for the safety and welfare of the players and playing a varsity schedule is not conducive to the safety and welfare of his student-athletes.

He also says the school intends on playing the "C" Team games that have already been scheduled because they have additional sophomores and freshmen that would benefit from playing a lower level schedule rather than risk physical harm and mental anguish playing at the current varsity level.