It's easy to just restart the scoring each quarter. Zero it out and let the kids play. It actually inspires the underdogs to try and take one of those quarters. Good training.
If you think about it, 38 points in football is only roughly 6-0 in baseball. No one would fine a coach or a team for that in baseball.
There are numerous ways to deal with something like this...but as I’ve perused the thread, I’ve gotten a bit hardened to the mercy rule as it has been applied in this situation.
I wouldn’t let my son play in league with such “rules”.
The coaches could have met at mid-field and discussed a different approach to the rest of the game...but it wouldn’t have guaranteed a different outcome.