Today Was Game Day. Coronado Didn't Show — and the Forfeit Controversy Keeps Growing.

Thursday, October 15, was the scheduled date for the football game between Coronado High School and Lutheran High School in Parker. The game never happened. Coronado didn't show up — and the forfeit, announced by District 11 three days earlier, is now the second in Colorado Springs to stem from allegations of racist behavior tied to Lutheran High games this fall.

The decision not to play has put the Colorado Springs school community in the middle of a statewide conversation about how schools, administrators, and athletic organizations respond to allegations of racial harassment — and when a forfeit becomes not just acceptable but necessary.

Air Academy Was First

Coronado's forfeit followed Air Academy High School's decision to forfeit its homecoming game against Lutheran earlier in October. Air Academy, a D20 school, was the first Colorado Springs-area team to take that step.

Combined, the two forfeits result in two automatic wins for Lutheran under CHSAA rules. That competitive impact has drawn additional scrutiny — critics have argued that forfeiting punishes the schools doing the protesting while benefiting the school at the center of the allegations.

Palmer Ridge Breaks Ranks

Not all COS-area schools have reached the same conclusion. Palmer Ridge High School has publicly stated it will play its scheduled game against Lutheran on October 30. The Palmer Ridge coach said the team made an independent decision, and the school is breaking with the forfeit approach taken by Coronado and Air Academy.

The split has made the situation more complicated. Families and students at different schools are watching their communities handle the same situation in different ways — and the debate over what the right response looks like is still very much active.

Where the Investigation Stands

Lutheran High's executive director, Dan Gehrke, has said the school does not tolerate racist language or behavior directed at any person and that its internal investigation is ongoing. Lutheran has also indicated that the students accused of making racist remarks were not enrolled at their school.

CHSAA's investigation into the broader allegations continues. State Representative Regina English has publicly expressed concern about how adults in positions of authority responded. The NAACP chapters for Douglas County and Colorado Springs have formally requested a meeting with Lutheran's administration.

Both D11 and CHSAA have separately issued statements denouncing racism — the standard D11 had originally requested — though the timing and perceived forcefulness of those statements have remained points of contention.

What's Next

The CHSAA investigation is ongoing with no announced timeline for resolution. Palmer Ridge's game against Lutheran is currently still scheduled for October 30. Whether any other COS-area schools will alter their schedules in response to the ongoing situation remains unclear. Families with students at schools involved in the controversy can find district communications at d11.org and d20.edu.