WXII, A TRIAD HIGH SCHOOL HAS DECIDED TO PAUSE THE VARSITY FOOTBALL SEASON. HIGH POINT CENTRAL ANNOUNCED MONDAY IT WILL ONLY FIELD A JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM NEXT YEAR. WXII 12 CHRIS PETERSON SPOKE WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND HEAD FOOTBALL COACH ABOUT THIS DECISION. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS WILL BECOME THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS FOR HIGH POINT CENTRAL FOOTBALL FANS AS THE SCHOOL RESETS THE VARSITY FOOTBALL PROGRAM. IT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING 5 OR 6 MONTHS OF MY LIFE. HIGH POINT CENTRAL’S VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM NOT ONLY WENT WINLESS THIS SEASON, THEY DIDN’T SCORE A SINGLE POINT. FIRST YEAR HEAD FOOTBALL COACH BRANT DAVID SAYS HE LEARNED SOME LIFE LESSONS. AND I REALIZED THAT WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING. LIKE THE SCORE PART. I LEARNED HOW TO FIND SMALL WINS AND LOSSES. THE BISON ONLY SUITED UP 28 PLAYERS THIS YEAR. THEY DIDN’T FEEL THE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM. SEVERAL PLAYERS PLAYED ON BOTH OFFENSE AND DEFENSE. PRINCIPAL MIKE HETTENBACH SAYS THE IDEA TO PAUSE THE PROGRAM KICKED OFF AFTER A GAME IN EARLY OCTOBER. THERE WAS A GAME THAT WE PLAYED SOMETIME DURING THE SEASON. I BELIEVE WE HAD 28 STUDENTS ON THE ROSTER. 11 OF THEM WERE UNABLE TO PLAY DUE TO INJURIES. SO THAT LEAVES US WITH 17 STUDENTS, MOSTLY FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES, PLAYING TWO SIDES OF THE BALL. IT. IT WAS HARD TO WATCH. PRINCIPAL HETTENBACH DOESN’T LIKE USING THE WORD SUSPENDED. HE CALLS SIDELINING THE VARSITY PROGRAM A RESET. WE’RE TAKING A RESET, SO TO SAY SO TO SAY, IN BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF JUNIOR VARSITY. WE’RE ALSO NOT STOPPING THERE. WE’RE GOING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE’RE GOING TO HELP REBUILD FERNDALE. WE’RE GOING TO MEET WITH THESE PEEWEE LEAGUES AND GET ALL THESE YOUNG KIDS IN HIGH POINT, GET THEM BACK, BACK INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES. HETTENBACH SAYS REACTION FROM THE TEAM AND COACHES WAS RELIEF. IT WAS MET WITH A VERY STRONG UNDERSTANDING. THERE WAS VERY MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT ONE STUDENT ACTUALLY SAID, I WISH WE HAD DONE THIS THE YEAR BEFORE. YOU KNOW, LIKE LONG OVERDUE. THERE ARE A FEW RISING SENIORS NEXT YEAR. SOME OF THEM HAVE DECIDED TO BE STUDENT COACHES, WHILE OTHERS MAY TRANSFER TO OTH
One-year hiatus for varsity football at High Point Central High School
Varsity Football season “on pause” at High Point Central High School
Updated: 5:23 PM EST Jan 13, 2026
The High Point Central High School varsity football team will not compete during the upcoming season, school leaders announced.Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.According to school officials, the varsity football team will take a one-year hiatus. The decision was primarily driven by declining participation, school officials said. The current roster is made up largely of freshmen and sophomores, leaving the varsity roster without enough upperclassmen to safely compete.The school’s principal said it would not be fair or safe for younger players to be competing against 17- and 18-year-old athletes from other schools. Subscribe to WXII’s free YouTube channel hereWhile varsity play will pause for the season, High Point Central will continue to field a junior varsity team. The goal, the principal said, is to rebuild participation and return the varsity team to competition next year. TRENDING STORIESNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |
HIGH POINT, N.C. —
The High Point Central High School varsity football team will not compete during the upcoming season, school leaders announced.
Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.
According to school officials, the varsity football team will take a one-year hiatus. The decision was primarily driven by declining participation, school officials said. The current roster is made up largely of freshmen and sophomores, leaving the varsity roster without enough upperclassmen to safely compete.
The school’s principal said it would not be fair or safe for younger players to be competing against 17- and 18-year-old athletes from other schools.
Subscribe to WXII’s free YouTube channel here
While varsity play will pause for the season, High Point Central will continue to field a junior varsity team.
The goal, the principal said, is to rebuild participation and return the varsity team to competition next year.
TRENDING STORIES
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |