GREAT FALLS — Fort Benton High School has forfeited its varsity football schedule after losing four players and the Longhorns are hoping to be able to co-op with Great Falls Central or they will have to play only a junior varsity schedule.
Coach Greg Meisner tells the Great Falls Tribune that two players were declared academically ineligible, their running back suffered another suffered a season-ending knee injury and another player quit. The losses leave Fort Benton with nine players, including five freshmen.
Meisner says Fort Benton and Great Falls Central are seeking a one-year emergency co-op with the Montana High School Association. He expects to find out Wednesday or Thursday if the MHSA will allow the co-op, which would have more than the 119 students allowed for schools running a Class C 8-Man program.
Central coach Mike Nelson says he couldn’t imagine the Fort Benton players not having a chance to play football.