BUTTE – Butte Central announced Monday it will not play its first football game this Friday due to lack of preparation time.
The Maroons were set to play their first game Friday night in Hamilton but decided to opt out, citing health and safety concerns for the players, according to a news release from Butte Central.
Butte Central activities director Chad Petersen said training restrictions put in place over the summer months limited the team’s time to practice. He said the team won’t be ready for the first game with just two weeks of practice.
“The health and safety of our student-athletes was the main consideration when coming to this decision and we are hoping that having another week of practice will allow our team the needed additional time to get ready for the 2020 season,” said Petersen.
“We are very proud of our team and the progress our kids are making to prepare for the season. As a coaching staff it really comes down to ensuring our kids are ready to play football," said Butte Central football coach Don Peoples, adding that the team was unable to participate in summer camps or football-related competitions in the offseason.
According to a news release from Hamilton, the game will count as a forfeit for Butte Central.
Butte Central plans to play the remaining eight games on its schedule. The Maroons are scheduled to host Frenchtown on Sept. 3 at Montana Tech.
