# Christ Church forfeits game with only 14 players available

> South Carolina high school football team cancels Friday matchup due to injuries and a key transfer, prioritizing player safety over competition.
- Title: Christ Church forfeits game with only 14 players available
- Summary: South Carolina high school football team cancels Friday matchup due to injuries and a key transfer, prioritizing player safety over competition. Christ…
- Keywords: christ church, daniel high school, south carolina high school football, forfeit, michael martin ii, roster shortage, player injuries, kingsten bibb, jace grass, quin hatfield, class 2a, class 3a
- Source: High School On SI — https://si.com/high-school/south-carolina/christ-church-forfeits-south-carolina-high-school-football-game-amid-roster-shortage-01m2kja0kcxm
- Published: 2026-09-16T00:32:44+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: christ church, daniel high school, south carolina high school football, forfeit, michael martin ii, roster shortage, player injuries, kingsten bibb, jace grass, quin hatfield, class 2a, class 3a
## Cavaliers forced to forfeit Friday game
Christ Church forfeited its scheduled matchup against undefeated Daniel due to a severely depleted roster caused by injuries and a recent transfer.
## Daniel announces cancellation on social media
Daniel's athletic department announced the forfeit on X and said they tried to find another opponent, even reaching out to neighboring states.

> We're disappointed to share that our scheduled varsity football game this Friday at Christ Church will not be played, as our opponent has chosen to forfeit the game.
## Christ Church hasn't publicly explained forfeit
The school has not made an official statement about why they forfeited the game.
## Star running back Michael Martin transfers out
Three-star junior Michael Martin II, who rushed for 1,425 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, transferred to Southside Christian.
## Eight injuries depleted roster before game
Christ Church was down to 19 players due to eight injuries and Martin's transfer before four more players got hurt in last Friday's game.
## Only 14 healthy players would have suited up
With the additional injuries from the previous game, Christ Church would have had just 14 players available, many already banged up.

> So, if you do the math, we would have been lining up for Friday night's game with only 14 players, many of whom were already banged up.
## Parent criticizes Daniel's announcement
Ryan Childers, father of a Christ Church player, said Daniel knew the circumstances but didn't acknowledge them in their public statement.

> It's a shame that Daniel, who knows full well the reason we had to pull out, didn't acknowledge why we chose to sit this week out.
## Player safety was the priority, Childers says
Childers emphasized that forfeiting was a last resort, but protecting players from injury was more important than playing the game.

> Again, the last thing we wanted to do was forfeit, but player safety comes first.
## Christ Church falls to zero and five
The forfeit gives Christ Church a winless record of zero wins and five losses to start the season.
## Cavaliers were competitive in first four games
Christ Church lost its first four games on the field by close margins: 10-3 to Mauldin, 27-21 to St. Joseph's, 27-14 to St. Christopher's, and 28-14 to Hilton Head Island.
## Program won back-to-back state titles in 2022-2023
Christ Church won consecutive Class 2A state championships in 2022 and 2023, going 27-3 under coach Quin Hatfield. The program has won seven state titles overall.
## Daniel improves to five and zero with forfeit
Daniel's undefeated record improves to 5-0 with the forfeit. The Lions scored at least 42 points in each of their first four games.
## Two-week break gives Cavaliers time to heal
Christ Church has nearly two weeks before facing Hampton County on September 25, giving injured players time to recover before region play begins.
## Key takeaway

Christ Church had to forfeit their game against undefeated Daniel because injuries and a star running back's transfer left them with just 14 healthy players, forcing them to prioritize safety over playing.