Saginaw United and Carman-Ainsworth forfeit their football finales after a fight got both full teams ejected

SAGINAW, Mich. — A brawl at Saginaw United’s homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 16, has wiped out the last regular-season game for both United and Flint Carman-Ainsworth. Officials ejected every player dressed for either team, and the suspensions that follow have both schools forfeiting this Friday.

The fight broke out in the second half of United’s homecoming game, with Carman-Ainsworth leading 34-12, and officials ended the game, WNEM and MLive reported. After one fight ended, another began, MLive reported. A Saginaw police officer was there and more officers came, but no one was arrested and no one was hurt, according to ABC12 and MLive.

Why the forfeits. The Michigan High School Athletic Association reviewed video and upheld the ejections, and an ejection carries an automatic suspension for the next game. MHSAA spokesperson Geoff Kimmerly said the association did not order the forfeits; with their varsity players suspended, the schools made that call, WNEM reported.

“People came from all directions for both teams. And so the officials on site ejected both teams in their entirety,” Kimmerly told WNEM. “We have 300-plus games every week. We don’t have fights ending games very often at all. But when they do, we have to take action, and the action has to be substantial.”

Kimmerly told ABC12 that officials checked whether players who stayed on the bench at first left it during the later fights. “Once you leave the bench area, you become part of what is happening on the field,” he said.

Who it affects. United had been set to play Saginaw Heritage, and Carman-Ainsworth was to face Flint Kearsley. Heritage also called off its freshman and junior varsity games with United, WNEM and Mid-Michigan NOW reported. The Kearsley superintendent told WNEM that Carman-Ainsworth tried but could not find enough eligible players to field a team.

Heritage and Kearsley get forfeit wins and were still looking for other opponents for Friday. The forfeit puts Heritage at 6-3 and improves its playoff chances, ABC12 reported. “We want to play,” Heritage athletic director Tony Premo told MLive. “It’s good for our kids to stay in their routine.”

The schools. “We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of sportsmanship, accountability and respect,” United officials said in a statement quoted by MLive. Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools said it is “adhering to the MHSAA’s decision regarding player suspensions and the resulting cancellation of Friday’s game against Kearsley.”

Sources:
WNEM, “Saginaw United, Carman-Ainsworth forfeit games after fight leads to ejections” (ejections, Kimmerly quotes, MHSAA did not order forfeits, Kearsley superintendent, JV and freshman games), https://www.wnem.com/2026/10/20/saginaw-united-carman-ainsworth-forfeit-games-after-fight-leads-ejections/
ABC12/WJRT, “Benches-clearing fight ends varsity football season for Saginaw United, Carman-Ainsworth” (police, no arrests, bench rule, Heritage 6-3, Carman-Ainsworth statement), https://www.abc12.com/news/benches-clearing-fight-ends-varisty-football-season-for-saginaw-united-carman-ainsworth/article_da7d9979-c1a2-47d0-94f2-567f04c8e610.html
MLive, “Saginaw United, Flint Carman-Ainsworth forfeit Week 9 football games” (score, second fight, no injuries, United statement, Premo), https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2026/10/saginaw-united-flint-carman-ainsworth-forfeit-week-9-football-games.html
Mid-Michigan NOW, “Saginaw United High School cancels game after MSHAA decision,” https://midmichigannow.com/news/local/saginaw-united-high-school-cancels-game-after-mshaa-decision
Photo: Michael Barera, “Bradley Tech vs. Pulaski football 2025 11 (Pulaski on offense).jpg,” Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bradley_Tech_vs._Pulaski_football_2025_11_(Pulaski_on_offense).jpg

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Tags: Saginaw · High School Football · Saginaw United · Carman-Ainsworth · MHSAA · Sportsmanship