Michigan High School Football Team May Get Second Chance After Season Was Canceled

Nearby Parchment has offered Gull Lake players a chance to join its football program for 2026, but the unusual arrangement still needs MHSAA approval

Pending approval from the Michigan High School Athletic Association, football players at Gull Lake will get a second chance to play in 2026 by joining forces with nearby Parchment High. | Gull Lake Athletics

Gull Lake football players may have found an unexpected way to get back on the field after their 2026 season was canceled.

Nearby Parchment High School has offered Gull Lake players an opportunity to join its football program this fall, creating a potential one-year cooperative between the two Michigan schools. The proposal has been approved by both superintendents and is awaiting approval from the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

Gull Lake canceled its varsity season amid low participation numbers and safety concerns following an alleged assault incident involving players during a June team retreat. Michigan State Police and the school district launched separate investigations, according to WZZM.

"I thought about kids losing their junior and senior year and how if that would have happened at my school when I was a student athlete, how it would have affected me for my life," Parchment athletic director Brennan Davis told WZZM. "And I want to extend that opportunity, so we reached out to Gull Lake."

Parchment Says Partnership Could Help Both Programs

The alleged assaults, according to Michigan State Police as reported by WWMT News, involved players and occurred at a football camp in Oceana County in late June.

Police reports obtained by WOOD-TV say there is recorded video of three incidents that took place June 23 and 24 at Lake Michigan Family Campground near Pentwater.

In late July, the school district placed Jalon Simpson, who was Gull Lake's head coach at the time the alleged assaults took place, on paid non-disciplinary administrative leave. Simpson resigned last week, the district announced Tuesday.

Both Programs Win

The proposed arrangement could address roster concerns for both programs. Parchment, which has around 400 students, was set to begin its nine-game schedule on August 27 with a roster that was less than 40 players combined for both varsity and JV.

"We would not run this if we were cutting Parchment student-athletes," he said. "They are going to receive more opportunity from this."

It remains unclear to what extent Gull Lake's participation and safety concerns are connected to the alleged incidents under investigation. Davis said any Gull Lake players involved in the investigations would not be eligible to play for Parchment.

Gull Lake, which has roughly 1,000 students, is located about 10 miles north of Parchment. Despite the close proximity, the two schools are not in the same league and do not typically play each other, so no rivalry exists. 

Parchment went 3-6 last season. Gull Lake was 0-9 in 2025 and has posted only one winning record over the last 14 seasons.