The first Menlo football game of the season was cancelled due to Mission High School’s inability to permit enough players to play in the game. The game was scheduled for last Friday, Aug. 24, and the football team found out about the cancellation in the middle of last week.

After high school football players get doctors’ approval to play, they are required to attend 10 practices before their first game. Only 12 of Mission’s players were ready for the game and each team is required to have 18 players.

Menlo’s players and coaches had been working hard to prepare for the game which made the cancellation disappointing. “Cancelling mid-week was tough on all of us. Coaches had done a lot of work scouting, and then preparing us for whatever Mission was going to throw at us. As players, we have been working hard and are dying to get out on the field,” senior captain Aidan Pak said.

The Knights have moved passed the disappointment and have started training for their next game on Saturday, September 1. “We quickly had to put our emotions aside and start preparing for [our game against] Piedmont [High School.] […] Piedmont is going to be a hard-fought physical game, but our team has prepared well and I think we are up for the challenge.” Pak said.

The Knights have big goals for the rest of the football season including taking back the Valpo Bowl trophy in addition to  winning Menlo football’s first ever CCS championship.