'I've never experienced that': NFC vs FAMU DRS football game starts without officials
North Florida Christian head coach Brent Hill, who started coaching in 1998, said he experienced a first Friday night.
The game between the Eagles and FAMU DRS was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Bragg Memorial Stadium. But Hill said an unknown individual called the Big Bend Football Officials Association and told the organization the game was canceled.
Despite both teams being in pads and ready to play, no official showed up for kickoff and neither school was informed of the situation.
"I've never experienced that," Hill told the Democrat. "I guess there's always an opportunity for something different to happen each and every week."
Both teams discussed their options and decided to start the game with the coaching staff acting as officials until one official, veteran Wayne Funderburke, showed with two minutes left end of the first quarter.
Funderburke, who has been officiating for 40-plus years, was eating dinner with his wife when he received a telephone call from the officials association. Members of the coaching staffs still acted as line judges with Funderburke.
Five to seven officials usually call high school football games.
"I managed the game to keep the flow going," Funderburke told the Democrat Saturday morning. "I was a little apprehensive at first - but they (coaches) did a good job with spots."
An official with the Big Bend Football Official Association told the Democrat Saturday morning "it is still looking into this matter."
FAMU DRS was initially scheduled to play at Graceville Friday. However, that game was moved and played earlier this season in September.
Friday was FAMU DRS's first game under the new interim head coach Willie Ferrell after former coach Alex Williams left the program for a role as head boys' basketball coach at Godby.
The game was played and will be counted as a regular season game, with NFC beating FAMU DRS 51-0.
"It was a situation where you doing it for the kids and thankful no one was injured," Hill said.
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Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida high school football game starts with no referees
