At least 20 students to be disciplined for Indio-DHS football game fight
20-22 students who played in the freshmen football game between Indio High School and Desert Hot Springs High School will be disciplined for leaving their respective sidelines during Friday night’s fight, according to Palm Springs Unified School District public information officer Joan Boiko.
The fight broke out Friday during the Indio High vs. Desert Hot Springs high freshmen football game. The incident led to the cancellation of the evening’s varsity matchup between the two squads. According to Boiko, the game was canceled because staff felt unsafe due to reported threats from parents.
The matchup was both team’s last game of the season.
PSUSD’s statement, issued by Boiko, in full:
Following Friday evening’s unfortunate incident at the …[freshmen football[]… game at Indio High School, Desert Hot Springs High administrators are reviewing video as well as gathering statements from all players. Per CIF regulations, all players that left to the sidelines to participate to the field during the incident are being ejected from the next athletic contest for which they were previously scheduled – the first game of the next athletic season they are a team member of. An individual conference with each involved player and his/her parent(s) is being scheduled, and a meeting with all involved players and their parents will be held early next week to discuss CIF rules and actions to be taken. It is estimated that a total of 20-22 players will be disciplined at this time pending further review of other video that could become available.
Indio High School and Desert Hot Springs High School athletics both fall under the umbrella of the California Interscholastic Federation.
Mary Perry, Public Information Officer for Desert Sands Unified School District, issued the following statement Monday:
Video is currently being reviewed and the instigating factors will be released after all available footage has been looked at. Video is, and will be, shared with Indio Police and Palm Springs Unified School District. Anyone in attendance at the game with video of the incident is asked to reach out to our security officers via workingtogether@desertsands.us
One Indio player said that he was struck by an Indio coach during the fight.
“So I went on the field to pull off my teammate, he swung at my brother soIi hit him and he took off my helmet and starting hitting me, kicked me on the floor,” explained Johnny Vargas, an Indio Freshman football player.
On Friday, Perry stated that the fight only took placed among the students, while Boiko confirmed this, but said that coaches became involved to break up the brawl.
Fight breaks out at Indio-DHS Freshman football game, Varsity game canceled
DHS High Athletic Director Kai Lyles said that the fight began when Indio players began assaulting a downed DHS player. He also said that an Indio player hit a DHS coach during the altercation, but could not confirm if any students were struck by coaches.
No one was detained following the incident, according to Indio Police.
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