Brawl started by rival coaches ends seasons for City College, Baltimore Poly
BALTIMORE - A brawl among rivals ended the football season of both teams on Friday night.
While the students took the brunt of the punishment, players told WJZ the fight was started by opposing coaches from City College and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
City and Poly – one of the biggest rivalry high school games in Baltimore – were both bound for the playoffs, until one second after the clock ticked zero.
City College beat Polytechnic Institute, 24-16, at Johns Hopkins University.
But neither won the end result.
"Our immediate reaction was, 'no, no, no, no," City running back Jarrod Mack Jr. said.
Some of the players and fans in attendance described players breaking up a fight that involved staff members on both coaching staffs.
"A coach from Poly and a coach from City began fighting," said Ramon Lindsay, a parent from Poly.
"The coaches, the adults, they didn't keep their composure," Mack said.
Not only will both these teams miss the playoffs, more discipline may come for some of those involved, including coaches who appeared to start the brawl.
A video obtained by WJZ shows players from City and Poly embracing after a hard-fought game Friday night.
Then, just out of the frame, a fight broke out, leaving the rivalry game with a different memory.
"A matter of seconds, the game had just ended," Lindsay said.
The fight spurred a letter from Baltimore City schools, suspending both teams for next week's games, which would have been the opening round of state playoffs.
The game was broadcasted on YouTube, which is now private, The video seemed to show multiple coaches involved in the brawl.
"You would like for them to set a better example for them," Lindsay said. "I don't understand or know what happened on the field, but something like that, it just cannot happen."
Coaches from both schools told WJZ that the punishment for the students was excessive.
"Those kids deserve the opportunity to play and it's unjust in my opinion," said City College coach Anthony Paye, Jr.
"I think it was a misunderstanding and it went too far and went the wrong way," Poly coach Marquise O'Neal added.
Baltimore City Public Schools told WJZ the punishment is "consistent on all levels" with previous fights.
"This is a great teaching moment right here," Lindsay said. "We can teach conflict resolution."
City schools officials say they will continue to review video and will discipline students and adults as necessary.
So far, the only punishment levied thus far are these teams' playoff hopes ending.
"For that opportunity to get snatched away just like that because of some adults and the lack of accountability, it doesn't sit right with me," Mack said.
Because of the adults' actions, parents say they are protesting the discipline at the district's office on North Avenue Wednesday evening.
"Definitely feel like somebody should be accountable, but at least hold the people who were responsible instead of punishing the whole teams," parent Amanda Mack said.
"All that hard work going down the drain just like that in the blink of an eye," parent Jarrod Mack Sr. said. "We worked hard all the way up to this point. For it to be taken away from us like that, it just doesn't even feel right."
