Football: Peninsula parents, players challenge decision to end varsity season with three games left

The decision announced by Peninsula Principal Mitzi Cress to end the football season with three games still to play for what she termed safety reasons is drawing criticism and ridicule from parents and players.

“It’s a travesty,” said Matt Grimes, father of senior captain Jack Grimes. “It’s terrible she could be this arrogant and take it away from the kids.”

Peninsula (2-5) was down to 21 players with games left against Redondo, Inglewood and Palos Verdes. It will forfeit the remaining games but players will have the option of participating in a JV game on Thursday against Redondo and against Inglewood next week, tight end A.J. Seymour said. Inglewood has a combined JV and varsity team.

“We no longer believe we can safely field a varsity team without putting the health of our remaining student-athletes in jeopardy,” Cress said in a news release.

But in an open letter to the community, Jack Grimes wrote, “The school, administration and coaches let us down. They taught us to face challenges head on, and now they refuse to follow that ideology. I am appalled at how hypocritical they are and am extremely saddened by their dreadful decision.”

Grimes challenged the argument made by Cress.

“They stated that too many Peninsula players played both offense and defense, as the team only has 21 healthy varsity players at this time,” he wrote. “But this argument is completely void of any merit. Many other teams in the South Bay and the country play with just as many players ... when faced with these challenges.”

Tony Seymour, father of tight end A.J. Seymour, said parents were not consulted on the decision and were informed at a meeting Tuesday night.

“The parents had absolutely zero concerns about this. Safety has never been an issue,” he said. “To have the school quit on them like this is deplorable.”

Seymour said of his son’s reaction, “My son was sobbing. He was heartbroken.”

An online petition has been started in support of football.

Messages left for Coach Mike Christensen and Cress have not been returned.

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