Wildcats forced to vacate game after shooting

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

It certainly puts things in perspective.
On Friday, Sept. 6, Woodmore was set to play John Adams High School in a football game in Cleveland, but a shooting on the edge of campus quickly led to police officers being called to the scene.
According to Woodmore athletic director Steve Barr, the team was on the floor of the bus when the shots were fired, and when the police arrived and secured the area, the players were escorted inside the school to the locker room, and the building was locked down until things cleared up.
After things settled down, the football team was escorted back to the bus and headed home to Elmore.
Dr. Mary Schaeffer, the Woodmore Schools superintendent, released a statement that evening on X, formerly known as Twitter, updating people on the situation.
“We wish to inform you of an incident that took place as our students arrived by bus for the varsity football game at John Adams College & Career Academy. The John Adams School principal shared that a gun was discharged during an altercation between two students at the perimeter of the campus,” she said. “Law enforcement officers were on scene upon our students’ arrival and secured the scene throughout the event. Once the scene was secured, our students were escorted back to the bus and (went) back to Woodmore High School.
“The safety and security of our students is our top priority. We are grateful for the quick actions of law enforcement, our football coaches and the school’s administrative team. A separate van transporting our cheerleaders did not arrive on the scene and was directed to return to the district immediately.”
Barr gave further details on the situation.
“It was probably 70 or 80 yards from where the buses were to where the person with the gun was located. The gun was never pointed at the team; the gun was running parallel to where the buses were. According to what I was told, it was two students from John Adams High School, and one discharged his gun for some reason,” he said. “The school personnel that were there did a really good job with our kids, keeping them safe. Before we headed home, I think the police had figured out who the person was. I think both kids had been located and apprehended. (The rest) is a legal matter. Everyone there did a really good job keeping (the team) as safe as they could.
“By the time I got there, it was a pretty mellow situation, and the kids were in good moods. I’m sure it affected some of them, most of them, but they were in a good mood and things went well on the bus ride home,” Barr said. “Coach (Scott Stecher) talked to them in the bus and then at home. It’s certainly not something you can dismiss. Luckily, everyone is safe.
“When you first get that news, it can jolt you a little bit. We all want the best for our kids and to keep them out of harm’s way. I don’t think there was ever a time when anybody that was there, associated with the football team, needed to feel like they were in peril. The people on site at the school did a really good job with everybody. Once the police got there, everything calmed down pretty quickly,” he said.
The football team is 2-0 following wins over North Central (37-0) and Montpelier (44-14) and is ranked seventh in the Division VI, Region 22 standings with 3.50 points. The Wildcats face Margaretta on Friday.