Oak Harbor and Marysville-Pilchuck high schools were supposed to play for the WESCO 3A North Division championship on Friday night.
That didn't happen, not after a Marysville-Pilchuck freshman opened fire in the school cafeteria, killing one student and wounding a handful of others before turning the gun on himself, on Friday morning. Absolutely horrifying.
Needless to say, the football game was postponed.
Rather than wait around for the appropriate time to reschedule the game - as if such a time would ever come - Oak Harbor went ahead and forfeited the game and gave the title to Marysville-Pilchuck. And then the team showed up to Marysville-Pilchuck's vigil.
It's the smallest of gestures, but it seemed to bring an ounce of relief to those involved, and that's all that really matters in the wake of this tragedy.
After reading story after disappointing story of kids learning the wrong lessons through high school football, it's great to see one high school program use football as a force for the greater good.
(HT SB Nation)