No helmets, just flags; Air Academy Community shows up for girls’ flag football team on Homecoming

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Air Academy High School didn't need helmets and tackling to draw a large homecoming crowd.

This week, Air Academy boys' tackle football announced it was forfeiting its Homecoming football game against Lutheran High School, amid ongoing allegations of racist remarks involving the Lutheran football program.

RELATED COVERAGE: Sources close to Air Academy football cite Lutheran racism allegations as reason for homecoming forfeit

Air Academy announced Wednesday that it does not have enough coaches to "safely field a varsity football contest," leading the school to forfeit Friday night's game.

Taking their place Friday night was the varsity girls' flag football team. They were slated to place The Classical Academy, the top-ranked team in Colorado.

"I think there's going to be some big nerves, but it's just another game. It's something that we have come prepared for and that we've been working for this entire season, and we've worked for it," Sienna Clark, a running back for the team, told KRDO13 before the game.

Air Academy said before the game they planned to include all the pre-planned homecoming events, including a parachute jump and special presentation from an alumni class.

RELATED COVERAGE: Air Academy Homecoming celebrations still on, girls’ flag football to play Colorado’s top team in place of forfeited game

In the big homecoming crowd were many who hadn't been to a girls' flag football game before, including Kimberly Mennecke, an Air Academy parent.

"It's an unfortunate set of circumstances, and obviously there are investigations and things that are happening that we are not part of and we don't need to be part of. But at the end of the day, I think the important thing is really just that our kids get that support and they get that homecoming experience," Mennecke said.

From the outside eye, it certainly looked like what you expected from a high school homecoming crowd. The student section was filled up, and they were cheering on the home team.

READ MORE: CHSAA issues new statement clarifying role in Lutheran racism allegations, ongoing investigation

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