Suspensions, forfeits announced after football fight between Merced County high schools
The fallout following a brawl on the football field between El Capitan and Delhi high schools last week has resulted in multiple player suspensions from both teams and a decision by Delhi to forfeit its next two games.
In all, 17 players have received suspensions between both teams so far, with possibly more expected as Delhi administrators work with Sac-Joaquin Section officials in the coming days.
Ten El Capitan players received a three-game suspension for participating in the fight or leaving the Gauchos’ sideline during the altercation.
El Capitan is playing this week, as the Gauchos host Cordova at Merced College on Friday night. Ten players being suspended represents about 20% of the El Capitan roster.
It’s a challenging start for Gauchos’ first-year coach Jordan Irsik.
“We support the decision and the ejection report findings,” El Capitan High School principal Megan Cope said. “El Capitan High School will continue to develop our student athlete’s ability to demonstrate sportsmanship on the field and build a proud legacy off the field.”
The incident occurred during a punt play in the third quarter on Friday night. The game was stopped by the officials after the fight. El Capitan was leading 12-7 at the time of the stoppage and awarded the victory.
The game was streamed online on the NFHS Network. Video shows as the ball rolls dead, pushing and shoving started between both teams.
Soon after, there were three separate fights with punches being thrown by both teams on the field. One fracas spills over onto the Delhi sideline.
School administrators from both schools have been working with section officials to go over video of the incident and identify players involved in the fight.
“Additionally, our district has conducted its own internal investigation, which led to identifying responsible individuals and facilitating additional discipline, which includes suspending 7 students,” Delhi Unified School District superintendent Jose Miguel Kubes said in a statement to the Merced Sun-Star.
“Among this, we have decided to forfeit the next two games so that we work with our team to process what took place, strengthen our commitment to the community and to send out a unified message that we can rise from our mistakes.”
According to Kubes, seven football players have been suspended from school. Another student, who isn’t on the football team, was also suspended for their involvement in the fight.
More Delhi players could be penalized by the section office for their involvement in the fracas as they review the video further.
According to state-wide bylaws, an athlete involved in a fight or a player who leaves the sideline/bench during an altercation is subject to a three- to six-game suspension.
Usually referees or officials will submit an ejection report with the name of players who were ejected. In this case, there wasn’t a list of players ejected so section officials have had to review video of the incident.
“It’s a lengthy process,” Sac-Joaquin assistant commissioner Will DeBoard. said “We’re going through a lot of video. There was a lot of stuff happening on the field and a lot of stuff happening off the field during the incident.”
DeBoard said the section office also has been dealing with 22 other ejections that occurred on Friday night.
DeBoard said the Sac-Joaquin Section dealt with a similar situation last year when 22 players were suspended after a fight between Tokay and Chavez high schools.
“We are not proud of this incident, but we have used this as an opportunity to step up and lean in to ensure we continue to move forward from this matter a stronger and united community,” Kubes said.
