The high school football game between Richwoods and Urbana in the state of Illinois did not make it to halftime. A massive brawl led to an early stoppage during the second quarter.
So many players were ejected that there were not enough bodies to continue.
The result of this high school football game is now in limbo. Neither team was declared the winner. Neither team was declared the loser.
Richwoods and Urbana tied at 14.
Richwoods High School and Urbana High School are separated by 100 miles. The former is located in Peoria. The latter is located in Urbana.
Neither team is very good this year. The Knights entered the weekend at 1-5. The Tigers entered at 0-6.
Thus, there were high stakes for both sides. Both programs were in desperate need of a win against an equally matched opponent. They went blow-for-blow during the first half. Literally.
Richwoods scored a touchdown with just under one minute remaining in the second quarter to tie the game at 14. Chaos ensued on the kickoff.
Benches cleared during an ugly brawl.
Not too far behind the subsequent kickoff return, Knights linebacker Donald Ford found himself in an impromptu wrestling match. He and the unidentified Tigers player went at it around the 30-yard-line.
Their teammates very quickly converged on the scene.
What initially started as some pushing and shoving very quickly escalated into an all-out melee. Punches were thrown. Players were flung around like rag dolls. It was pretty intense.
Both sides were ultimately separated but play was not allowed to continue.
Only two Richwoods players left their respective sideline but pretty much every single player on the Urbana sideline entered onto the field of play to get in on the fracas.
As a result, officials suspended the game. They ejected six Knights. So many Tigers were ejected that they did not have enough players to continue the game. That was it.
“There are multiple fouls on the play. Personal fouls […] 44, 80, 81, and 70, 15 on Richwoods. Those players are ejected. Personal foul on Urbana, by rule, when players come off the bench to fight, they are automatically ejected […] or come off the bench during the fight they are automatically ejected.
“Too many Urbana players came off the bench to fight and are ejected. There are not enough players on Urbana to play the game […] the game is suspended and reported to the IHSA. No more football tonight.”
Here is how it all went down in real time:
Richwoods and Urbana was suspended with 23 seconds left in the 1st half after a fight broke out during a kickoff. Knight had tied game 14-14
— Patrick Cunningham (@pmc3_83) October 11, 2025
Officials determined Urbana did not have enough players to continue. A report is being sent to the IHSA, who will decide how to proceed. pic.twitter.com/QD6oNkra6R
Here’s another video:
Here is the video I captured at Urbana High School tonight as a fight broke out between Urbana and Peoria-Richwoods and led to several ejections.
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) October 11, 2025
Officials declared Urbana had too many players ejected, and not enough players to continue the game.
The game was called. As stated… https://t.co/taE7UVJ42s pic.twitter.com/1gLofphVDz
So what happens next?
The Illinois high school football game is stuck in limbo.
As things currently stand, Richwoods and Urbana are tied at 14. The outcome is to be determined.
It is not made on site.
The local officiating crew will write a detailed report on the incident. They will then submit that report to the Illinois High School Association, which will then determine how to proceed. IHSA football director Sam Knox gets final say. He will likely give both teams a loss or rule a no contest, but he could ultimately rule a victory in favor of the Knights because they were technically still able to continue. We’ll see.
“They only have 31 kids in their program, so they didn’t have enough to continue the game,” said Richwoods head coach James Ulrich. “I don’t know how long it will take for the IHSA to sort this out. Worse-case scenario is a loss for both of us.”
To make matters worse, players who are ejected from a game are customarily suspended from the team’s next contest. If the Tigers did not have enough players to continue on Friday, they might also be required to forfeit their next game. The Knights will likely be without five or six players.