The inevitable fate of a proud Class A 6-man football team, facing a season with just seven players on its roster (including five freshmen), was dealt late Thursday night when Kit Carson High School dropped its program.
“It’s just a sign of the times,” coach and athletic director Jim Trahern said, “and it’s a little tough to swallow. But it was something we had to do.”
The school board was to meet Tuesday night, but an emergency meeting was called Thursday and the ruling was made official Friday morning.
“It wasn’t fair to put the kids through any more practice here, when we all knew it was going to happen,” Trahern said.
Five of Trahern’s players will now don the same colors at nearby Eads and become Eagles for a season, including the lone senior, Charles Johnson.
Trahern, who has been coaching at the school for 27 years, wasn’t sure what his fall season will hold.
“I might just take the whole fall off, or maybe get into officiating some games,” he said.
Eads coach Dustin Uhland, for one, wouldn’t be opposed to adding the knowledgable Trahern to his staff.
“He always gets the best out of his kids, and I’d love to see how he does it,” Uhland said.
Kit Carson is not the first team to be disbanded this season and may not be the last. One year after Prairie folded for a season, Arickaree has already called it quits and Pawnee, with just eight players on its roster, may not be far behind.
Prairie’s Mustangs will play this season, but cannot qualify for the state playoffs because of CHSAA rules that place them on probation for a season.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
