Long Island high school cancels football season due to recent arson

WYANDANCH, NY (WABC) -- The remainder of the football season has been cancelled for Wyandanch Union Free High School due to an arson fire that destroyed most of the team's equipment last Thursday, says a district spokesman.

The cancellation applies to the final game, as the season is nearly complete.

The fire was reported at 7:50 a.m. last Thursday.

A lock was broken on a large cement fieldhouse on the high school's athletic field, where police have determined the fire was set.

Everything was destroyed, from the blocking dummies and the yard markers right down to the footballs themselves. The track team lost its hurdles.

It had already been a tough year for the Wyandanch team, as they hadn't won a game all season.

"It's just charred," district spokesman Nathan Jackson said. "You have a barbecue and pick up your grill after the barbecue, that's what it looks like. It's just ash and charred. We didn't have a good season, but these guys tried their best every game, and there was a real camaraderie among them. And it's just a shame that they have to lose the rest of their season."

No injuries were reported.

Earlier this month, five players were disciplined on hazing allegations that turned out to be unfounded. Then, last Saturday, three spectators were stabbed after a fight that did not involve students at the school's homecoming game.