Dons pull plug on M-A football game

“This decision has been made in consultation with my principal, trainer, superintendent, assistant coaches and players,” Sell said in a statement emailed to the Daily Journal. “This decision is based on a concern for the health and well-being of our student-athletes and what we feel is in the best interest of our program.”

M-A co-athletic director Paul Snow said the decision is an about-face of what they thought was a done deal last week. Snow said Sell had informed M-A a few weeks ago that a forfeit was a possibility. Snow said he thought both schools had come to an agreement late last week and the M-A administration was under the impression the game was a go.

“We thought we had worked around it (the issues). Last Friday, [Aragon] said they were going to play,” Snow said. “Then, all of the sudden, that changed on Monday.

“We pride ourselves on our sportsmanship. … I think we could have ensured the safety of their players.”

Snow said the biggest disappointment is Friday’s game was to be Senior Night, which was to made more special because the school was going to honor Aisea Mataele, who suddenly died during his freshman year in 2016. He would have been a senior this year.

In addition, Snow said the school misses out on an opportunity to raise some significant money for the school and athletic program.

“We don’t charge (admission) for many sports, so we lose out on ticket sales and snack shack (revenue), about $15,000,” Snow said. “I do understand (Aragon’s decision), our coach understands. But it’s disappointing nonetheless.”

M-A (4-0 PAL Bay, 6-3 overall) is the defending league, Central Coast Section, Nor Cal and state 3-AA champion. After a rugged 2019 non-league schedule that saw the Bears play the likes of Serra and Folsom, M-A has opened Bay Division play with three straight wins.

In five non-league games, the Bears scored an average of 26 points per game while allowing 32. They’ve turned those numbers around in league play, averaging 38 points of offense while allowing roughly two touchdowns per game. They are coming off a 49-0 shutout of Burlingame.

Aragon (0-5, 1-8) is on the complete other end of the spectrum, experiencing its worst season in the last 20 years. The most points the Dons have scored this season came in a 21-20 win over Los Altos in the third week of the season. Otherwise, they’ve been shut out three times and have scored a total of 14 points through four Bay Division games. The Dons were beaten 47-7 by Terra Nova last week, all of this on the heels of a 2-3 Bay Division record and an overall mark of 2-9 in 2018.

“When rational minds looked at it, what’s the benefit to [playing this game]?” Sell said via telephone. “We defend this sport, that there is risk but also a ton of reward. For this game and where our kids are now, [it has no benefit].

“To say the risk outweighs the reward is the understatement of the century.”

Sell said his players were willing to support him in whatever choice he made and said ultimately it was his decision to make.

“Parents entrust me and my (coaching) staff to coach and take care of these kids,” Sell said. “[The players] would have done anything I wanted them to do. My administration was the same way. I did what I thought was best. It was up to me to be the adult. … This is me looking at my kids and knowing my kids and doing what is best.”

Sell attributes some of this year’s struggles to growing pains for a young, inexperienced team. The Dons have eight sophomores on the roster and slew of juniors in their first year of varsity football. He believed that the team would get better as the season went along, but that simply has not been the case. Sell knew his team was in trouble after Week 2.

“When we got beat by San Mateo 34-zip, I was like, “Hoo boy,’” Sell said. “Our kids are so great and so resilient. They’re good. They’re just young.”