It might’ve made an epic film, the Sharks from tiny Sabine Pass weathering a Texas high school football season with a single man to spare.

But school officials made the right call — no instant replay is needed — in ending the football season early with just a dozen players who were healthy enough to suit up.

Coach Jason Thibodeaux sang that sad September song Wednesday, citing concerns for the safety of his remaining players. Those concerns were well founded.

From the outset of summer practice, numbers posed the greatest obstacle to a successful 2018 season; successful, under such circumstances, meant competing. Fifteen showed up to play, a number that rose by a single player by the road opener against Pasadena Baptist. That just wasn’t enough.

Injuries in that game put the team at an additional disadvantage when the Sharks faced Hull-Daisetta two weeks later. The Bobcats routinely suit up more than three dozen players and in their 50-0 win over the visitors, substituted liberally. Sabine Pass, conversely, lost two players to injury and ended the game with a lone player on the bench. When players are exhausted, the chances of injury increase.

The modern game frowns on players lining up on both sides of the ball, moving without rest from offense to defense and back. That went out with leather helmets. Football is too grueling, too physical, at times too savage to toss players into the fray without letup. That might appeal to our primal instincts, but not our polished ones.

A thin roster forces other choices, too, that make game preparation problematic. Players must practice gingerly with an eye toward keeping everyone healthy enough for kickoff. The lack of physical intensity on the practice field can leave players less-than-ready when live opponents line up against them.

That notwithstanding, there were plenty of reasons for Sabine Pass to give this season a go, no matter the underlying challenge that was posed by suiting up too few players. Football should heighten players’ physical stamina and fitness. It builds teamwork, fosters friendships and school loyalty and builds character.

In this short season our newspaper staff met excellent young men who have played for the Sharks and reflect the best of what the game has to offer. They were saddened by the decision but showed maturity in accepting it.

That will make for some tame Friday nights this autumn, as the small but loyal corps of Sharks faithful must look for other things to do.

“To cancel that season broke my heart,” said Sabine Pass alumna and system Superintendent Kristi Heid. “I know the community is disappointed.”

But given the circumstances, there was one safe choice left to school leaders and they took it.