By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

Friday night lights in McDade will go dark.

McDade High School has pulled the plug on its varsity football season, citing safety concerns after injuries cut the roster nearly in half.

McDade Independent School District announced Thursday that the Bulldogs would not finish the year and forfeit the remaining seven games on the schedule. Fellow District 13-2A-II member Snook also announced it was forfeiting the rest of the season.

McDade opened the season with 25 players but saw that number shrink to just 13 after three games. The Bulldogs were 0-3 and was outscored 201-6 i those games.

McDade ISD issued the following statement:

“We regret to announce that our varsity football season has been canceled. This decision was not made lightly and comes after careful consideration of various factors impacting the team’s ability to safely and effectively compete this year. We understand how disappointing this news is for our players, coaches and supporters, and we appreciate everyone’s dedication and hard work leading up to this point. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.”

The cancellation is a setback for a program that was in its second season playing 11-man football.

McDade High School opened in 2016 and played 6-man football in Class 1A until the 2024 redistricting. The Bulldogs have had only two winning seasons, including a school best 7-4 record in 2018. That was their only playoff appearance.