Copyright WDIV ClickOnDetroit
WESTLAND, Mich. – The Michigan High School Athletic Association regional final football game between Harper Woods and Divine Child has been relocated to John Glenn High School in Westland following a shooting last week. The decision comes after a 17-year-old was hit by a stray bullet following a football game at Harper Woods High School. “I guess as he was leaving a fight broke out, and he heard a boom and that’s when he figured out he got shot,” the victim’s mother told Local 4 last weekend. According to MHSAA officials, Harper Woods initially proposed keeping the game at their home field with limited or no fan attendance. However, the association opted for a neutral site. “The MHSAA has been in contact with both schools and determined it was best to move the game to John Glenn, which not only is able to provide safety precautions but will allow for more fans to attend the game,” said an association spokesperson. John Glenn High School sits about seven miles from Divine Child but more than 30 miles from Harper Woods, who was originally scheduled to host the game as the home team after receiving the highest amount of playoff points in the state. Officials with the Harper Woods School District declined to comment about the decision when Local 4 went to their office Wednesday. However, Divine Child High School addressed the relocation in a statement saying capacity was their primary concern. “While there were initial concerns about safety following last week’s incident after the Harper Woods Varsity Football game, Divine Child’s primary concern was stadium capacity. For a game of this magnitude, we feel it would be unfair to both teams and their supporters—who have followed them all season—to have such limited attendance,” the statement read. “John Glenn High School was the nearest school to both DC and Harper Woods, offered by MHSAA to host and could accommodate more than 2,600 spectators, with a safe environment for both communities.” The decision has sparked debate on social media. Local sports media outlet “The Detroit Line” called the move “incredibly disrespectful to Harper Woods,” with hundreds of fans weighing in online. While some commenters supported the decision as “responsible,” others argued it should’ve been a location in the middle. The game remains scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at John Glenn High School in Westland.
