Ohio high school football team cancels game due to lack of players

According to a report by the Akron Beacon Journal, Barberton High School (Ohio) has canceled their upcoming game against Highland (Ohio) due to a lack of available players.

Highland posted on its Facebook page regarding the cancellation of Friday’s homecoming contest against Barberton (1-5).

“We want to share an important update regarding our scheduled Homecoming varsity football game against Barberton this Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Late last night, we were informed by Barberton’s Athletic Director that, due to reported injuries to 10 of their starting players, they would be unable to play on Friday night. Wanting to preserve this event for our students and community, we met with their leadership team today at 12:00 p.m. to explore possible options. Along with the Commissioner of the Suburban League and the head official for the game, we collaborated to establish a modified game plan that included the following agreed upon parameters:  limited playing time for our starters, using abbreviated quarters, and implementing a running clock, among other adjustments. At that time, Barberton committed to moving forward with the game under those conditions and agreed on this modified game plan. Unfortunately, only a short time ago—after seeing reports circulate on social media and various media outlets—we learned that Barberton is not, in fact, planning to play Friday night. We know how disappointing this is for our players, families, and the entire community, especially given the importance of Homecoming, the Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and other time-honored traditions that mean so much to our students. We are exploring options for an alternative Homecoming celebration so that our students, alumni, and community may still have an opportunity to come together Friday evening. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. Thank you for your understanding and your continued support of our students.”

Barberton through six games has yielded an average of over 34 points per game as they have struggled this season. Over the last 15 games played, the Magics have compiled a record of 3-12 and in the previous three seasons (2021-23) went 24-12.

The Magics are coming off a 33-29 loss to Kent Roosevelt last week. Now with the canceled game, the next scheduled contest for Barberton is on the road against Revere on Oct. 10.

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