Reedsburg High School cancels football games amid investigation of players

Reedsburg Area High School canceled its first two varsity football games this season because of an ongoing investigation involving several players. 

The school made the announcement last week, giving few details, only saying the investigation “into a matter in the community” left the varsity team without enough players. 

“Due to confidentiality concerns with any issue involving students there is nothing further that can be shared with you about this matter,” the news release said.

Meanwhile, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department cited nine juveniles for disorderly conduct on Aug. 11 after multiple reports of harassment of Amish people in the area. 

“Sauk County Deputies were conducting extra patrol in the rural Reedsburg area, after multiple reports of harassment behavior towards members of the Amish Community,” according to an Aug. 25 press release from the sheriff’s department. “Contact was made with a suspect vehicle involved. As a result of the investigation, nine juveniles from the Reedsburg area were cited for disorderly conduct.” 

In the statement, Reedsburg High School principal Katie Mathews said she is “devastated that many of the student athletes will be missing out on contests.” 

“In particular, we empathize with our seniors who will be facing a shortened season,” Mathews wrote. “However, above all, we are a teaching and learning institution. While this, without question, is a painful learning experience, we will never compromise the integrity of the Reedsburg Area High School or its students, staff and families, and we will not let it define us.” 

Now that the Aug. 23 and Aug. 30 varsity football games have been canceled, it is unclear if the students cited for disorderly conduct will face further disciplinary action from the school. 

Officials with the Reedsburg school district did not return requests for further comment. 

According to hundreds of social media posts speculating about the event, the students were cited after vandalizing property owned by the Amish community including a school and a barn. Students also allegedly threw firecrackers and shot paintballs at horses owned by Amish families.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Department would not immediately release further information to WPR Monday because the incident involves juveniles. 

Reedsburg resident Amanda Jean posted that she visited several Amish houses that were vandalized and the people she talked to were “kind and forgiving.”

Jean is hosting a community dinner on Sept. 11 in Reedsburg to raise money for the Amish community.

According to data submitted to the state Department of Justice, hate crimes are rare in Sauk County. From 2018 to 2022, there were two reported hate crimes in the county.

While DOJ does keep data on hate crimes for dozens of protected religious groups and classes, it does not have a specific category for the Amish community.