8 players suspended after brawl in playoff game

[farmer]

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/UPDA ... Field.html

They have the video on the link above.


UPDATE 11/22/10 @ 3:40 p.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The blows are continuing to hit hard following a football brawl that got out of control. The fight ended the South Charleston/Hurricane playoff game Friday night before the final seconds ticked off the clock. Now there are serious sanctions from the top that are prompting a legal challenge.

Eight players have been suspended -- four from Hurricane High School and four from South Charleston high school. For South Charleston, those suspended are their key players and they will have to sit out the next game, the state semifinal match-up against Brooke this Saturday.

Near the end of the game, Hurricane was driving down the field, making a comeback, when a South Charleston player intercepted the ball. There was some shoving and then No. 2 from Hurricane punched a South Charleston player. That set off a huge melee; the field filled up with players from both teams who came out swinging.

Police had to get involved and used pepper spray to break up the fight.

The two players initially caught up in the fight didn't get suspended, but eight others did, including four star players from South Charleston: quarterback Tyler Harris, wide receiver Pierria Henry, running back Trevand Reese and wide receiver Emerson Gagnon.

Those four players have hired an attorney because they say they were wrongly suspended from the semifinal game.

Their attorney, Ben Salango, says initially different players were ejected, but a new report filed by the officials named his four clients.

"They want to do what's in the best interest of their team, and the best interest of their team would be for them to be on the field," Salango says. "They've practiced all year. They've played all year and they've reached a pretty critical part of the year, and the game should be decided on the field and not on some report that's filed after the fact."

The executive director of the WVSSAC says they make a determination based off of the reports filed by the officials, and they are not allowed to review the tape of the fight.

The players are on a tight timetable because the courthouse is closed this Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Salango hopes to file the challenge by Tuesday.

The four players from Hurricane will have to sit out the first game of next season, or if they're a senior they will have to sit out the first game of the next sport that they play

[Burg_Grad_77]

If they had kept their rear ends on the bench and not rushed the field they wouldn't be sitting out the next game. You reap what you sow.

[Steely Dan]

AGREE!!!

[sprinter14]

The only thing I agree with them on is that the WV officials SHOULD review videotape if it is true that OTHER players were ejected and OTHER players started the fight. Why were those 4 boys chosen? The only way to guarantee that it isn't politically motivated is to review the evidence at hand. Why on earth would they NOT review the video? And what assinine rule is in place that supposedly prohibits them from using it??

[oak_a_holic]

The only thing I agree with them on is that the WV officials SHOULD review videotape if it is true that OTHER players were ejected and OTHER players started the fight. Why were those 4 boys chosen? The only way to guarantee that it isn't politically motivated is to review the evidence at hand. Why on earth would they NOT review the video? And what assinine rule is in place that supposedly prohibits them from using it??

Exactly what I was thinking. Isn't that what they do in court anyways? Completely barbaric.

[OZZIEOHIO]

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/UPDA ... Field.html

[55buckeyes98]

If they had kept their rear ends on the bench and not rushed the field they wouldn't be sitting out the next game. You reap what you sow.

I don't care who you are if there was a fight I'd be out there defending my teammates. If players are all on the field and the refs let it get out of control then I'd be out there doing whatever I could to defend my teammates. I think those kids should get to play unless there is specific evidence that a Charleston player started something. Once the Hurricane player threw a punch and the refs let it get out of control I think you cannot blame a high school kid standing up for the team/teammates and fighting back. It's an iffy situation and difficult to deal with...

[Raiderball]

but if players on the bench stay on the bench the incident doesn't escalate out of control. Officials and coaches could have seperated the 3-4 kids initially involved. As soon as others joined it got ugly. I saw this on the news Sunday night. UGLY!!!

[Charles Farquar]

That incident should be an embarrassment for both schools. It should have never have happened and shows a lack of discipline and self control in the players and a lack of control over the players by the coaches. Kind of makes you wonder how tight that ship was being ran even before this and what the kids were getting away with.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

If the rule is you fight you set then all of those fighting should set.

[farmer]

With a big fight like this there is no way that you do not go to the video. The refs are to busy trying to break up fights and watch out for themselves to be worried about taking numbers. One of the comments made on WSAZ was there was another fight at the end of a game. To get the courts involved is a waste of money when the video shows the players breaking the rules. Fights like this do not belong and the news media should not be so worried about the stars missing the game but showing that fighting has no place in high school on or off the field.

[91blue14]

wow this got out of control nothing the officials could do to stop it. video is the logical choice but i dont see them bucking the system in this short of time frame with the holiday coming in. i havent seen a brawl like that since gallia academy and athens in 1989.

[farmer]

Now the players get to play of the court system gets involved.

[Raiderball]

WSAZ 6:00 news reports suspended players will be able to play.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/UPDA ... Field.html

[55buckeyes98]

I heard in the original suspension the player from Hurricane that "started" the fight was not even one of those suspended. I think the kids should be able to finish the season with the game under review and suspend the players for their winter season or next season they play once the tape has been reviewed. Sounds like the officials did a poor job with this one!

[BigCarlito72]

I live in Charleston and was at this game and there was no extracurricular contact initiated by South Charleston until the Hurricane player threw a punch out of frustration. Also word is the Hurricane player made an off color comment. If you are from the area you are aware of the cultural differences between the two schools and truth is we cannot speculate as to wether the hurricane kid made such a remark or not. Unfortunately we also cannot expect that to excuse poor decisions. As an athelete you are called upon to make split second decisions correctly in every instance of the game despite the circumstances. Is it then so much to ask if we expect that skilled decision making to translate from the field and back on it? This CAN BE COACHED, taught is a betterr word because @ the prep level this is what our coaches are paid to be people...TEACHERS! I expected more and on behalf of my nine year old son who played midget leauge football and lost in the title game this year, who learned from his youth coaches the right way to learn, practice and feel about this GREAT game, OUR game, I am ashamed for you all.

[BigCarlito72]

The wvssac can actually NOT review the tape and has to base their decision on prepared transcripts.

[southernohiofan]

whoever leaves the sideline to rush the field to fight should be suspended; if this was the case there would be know brawl at the most would be 22 players and it could've easily be controlled compared to 40 extra players rushing the field

[55buckeyes98]

News came out that no one will be suspended from the next game and the Hurricane coach stood up for South Charleston and helped get the suspensions of the SC players lifted

[Yossarian]

The only thing I agree with them on is that the WV officials SHOULD review videotape if it is true that OTHER players were ejected and OTHER players started the fight. Why were those 4 boys chosen? The only way to guarantee that it isn't politically motivated is to review the evidence at hand. Why on earth would they NOT review the video? And what assinine rule is in place that supposedly prohibits them from using it??

Agree. Or maybe they don't want to know.