Jake Danneman has spent the past few decades coaching football, including as an assistant coach.

But in all that time, he had never won a game because the opposing team opted not to play — until last week.

The team that gave the Excelsior Springs coach and his varsity 11-man squad the no-show victory was Miller Career Academy/Sumner. As The Standard reported, Danneman and his Tigers were slated to play the St. Louis metro area co-op Oct. 16 at Excelsior Springs. The Phoenix opted to forfeit the Friday night contest instead.

“We kind of got word through the grapevine a little bit on Wednesday,” Danneman said Monday. “But there was no official word until Thursday. Before we were going to tell anybody, we were going to make sure it was official through MSHSAA.”

It was the second straight game forfeited by Miller Career Academy/Sumner. Per Missouri State High School Activities Association records, the Phoenix also forfeited an Oct. 9 road meeting with Cassville.

“The Cassville forfeit gave the …