High school forfeits league title to Marysville-Pilchuck, site of school shooting

In times of tragedy, football games are a low priority. Even so, the players of a rival high school have offered to forfeit their game against Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington in the wake of a fatal shooting at the school on Friday.

The Oak Harbor Wildcats have offered to accept second place in Washington's Wesco 3A North league. The offer follows Friday's deadly violence, in which a shooter killed one fellow student and wounded four others in the latest episode of gun violence at an American high school. Oak Harbor's head coach, as well as a local school official, confirmed the offer.

A Marysville-Pilchuck player relayed an equally heartfelt sentiment:

The game had been scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night but had been postponed. Regardless, Oak Harbor players showed up at a vigil at Marysville-Pilchuck and received an ovation from the students in the crowd.

Football is certainly last on the minds of Marysville Pilchuck students now. But the compassion shown by Oak Harbor resonates far beyond the field.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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