'Let us play:' CCS football players react to canceled game ...Middle East

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Beechcroft High School's football season is officially over, cut short due to safety concerns.

The Beechcroft Cougars were supposed to take the field Friday for their final regular season game – and Senior Night -- but that matchup against Northland won't happen.

"It really felt like this was going to be the one we were going to win, so having this game stripped from us really hurt," Beechcroft High School football senior Sherwin Armistead said.

For many players, this was the final chapter of their season, and for seniors, their high school careers. Instead, they're watching it end from the sidelines. 

"Let us play," Beechcroft High School football senior Harlem Walker said. "That's all we want to do. That's all we've been wanting to do. Our whole year has been riding up to this moment, and it's a core memory for us that we just want to experience."

Senior football players said they didn't expect their season to end this way.

"Especially going up against our team rival, this game meant a lot to us," Armistead said. 

The decision comes just days after two juveniles were shot Saturday night near the high school. According to Columbus police, multiple people were seen exiting a black Honda SUV and fired shots at multiple individuals. 

"As a team captain, that hurts a lot because those two players were our key players right there and it's sad to hear that they're the ones that got hit with the bullet," Beechcroft High School football senior Jaymir Radford said.

Police and the Columbus City Schools District have yet to confirm the victim's identities.

"They want to play for those injured boys," parent Janice Cubbage said. "So, I don't agree with the game being canceled. I don't agree with how it's being handled."

The district released a statement regarding the season's cancellation:

"Due to an ongoing concern directly involving the safety of Beechcroft High School football student-athletes, the Beechcroft team’s season will conclude with the last game of play being the week 9 HOME game on October 17, 2025. This means the game between Beechcroft HS v. Northland HS scheduled for October 24, 2025 will not occur, resulting in a forfeit loss for Beechcroft. The safety of Columbus City School’s students is always our first priority, and the Superintendent approved the request of Beechcroft’s Principal and the District’s leadership team."

"Just let us play," Radford said. "It don't have to be at our field. It don't have to be at Northland's field. We could go to like the old Columbus Crew stadium, that has maximum security."

According to players, they feel robbed and were looking forward to continuing their winning streak. 

"We were just really in our groove, and we can't do anything about it," Walker said. "It's like you have it right there in your hands and it's just taken from you."

Beechcroft's principal held a meeting on Wednesday night with players and parents, according to those NBC4 spoke with. They said the principal stood firm on his decision. 

"In the meeting, he said that the boys were targeted, that the shooter asked, ‘Did you play football? Yes or no?’ And that they shot," Cubbage said.

According to the district, the superintendent signed off on the principal's request to end the season early.

"I want the future for all children," Cubbage said. "I'm a mom of two. I want everybody to be safe going forward. So, I told him, 'What is it in the budget for CPD to be here at these games? What is the budget?' I was told is outside of his pay grade, so I don't know if he has reached out to them."

According to the seniors, they were told by the principal that they'd be honored on a different night. In the meantime, Friday's cancelled game will go down as a forfeit loss for Beechcroft.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Felony Assault Unit at 614-645-4323 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 to leave an anonymous tip.

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