32 football players suspended from future games after fight at game

By KCRA Staff

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    Stockton, California (KCRA) — Thirty-two high school football students were suspended after either fighting or clearing the benches during a fight Thursday night at a Stockton school, officials said.

The fight happened at Cesar Chavez High School — a Stockton Unified School District school — and Tokay High School, which is part of the Lodi Unified School District.

The California Interscholastic Federation Sac-Joaquin Section said many players left the sideline during a fight at the match between Tokay High School and Cesar Chavez High School. According to CIF’s bylaws, the 32 players were suspended for at least the next three games.

“Stockton Unified School District recognizes the value and importance of athletic activities for our students. We also recognize the importance of sportsmanship and teamwork,” Stockton Unified said in a statement to KCRA 3. “We agree with and support the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) as we affirm policies of honor.”

Lodi Unified also responded to the fight between both schools.

“Tokay High supports the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) policies of Victory with Honor and all CIF bylaws regarding sportsmanship and player conduct. All students involved in Friday night’s event have received appropriate consequences,” Lodi Unified said in its statement.

While it is not known how many players actually participated in the fight, CIF’s bylaws also penalize players who leave the bench during a fight.

According to CIF, these are the punishments applicable to the participants in Thursday’s fight:

First Ejection: Player (Fighting/Assaultive Behavior/Gross Unsportsmanlike Conduct) is ineligible to participate in the team’s next three (3) to six (6) contests as determined by the CIF Section Commissioner with jurisdiction in the matter. Player may remain on the bench for the duration of that contest and may be on the bench in street clothes for the duration of the suspension. If the season concludes prior to the player serving the full suspension, he or she would be ineligible for the number of contests remaining on the suspension for the team’s following season. If the player is a senior, he or she would be ineligible for the number of contests remaining on the suspension for their next season of sport.

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