Players, Coach Suspended After Brawl At High School Game
MESQUITE (CBSDFW.COM) -Officials at Mesquite Horn and DeSoto High School suspended all five players and one coach involved an on-field brawl during the fourth quarter of Friday night's game.
Mesquite Horn lost one player, while four DeSoto athletes and its coach were suspended for one week.
"It's hard to tell what incited, actually, one player and another player to start fighting," said Beth Trimble, DeSoto Independent School District spokeswoman. "But that's how fast it happened."
Mathis was reportedly arguing with an official over an injured player and not involved in the scuffle. Nonetheless, he was held accountable and punished for his players' actions.
"The coach was ejected because he is responsible for the players and if players are fighting on the field they can eject the coach," Trimble said. "He's taking full responsibility. He takes his suspension as his discipline for not controlling the players."
Tuesday, officials from each school met in Mesquite, in the shadow of the stadium where the game was played. They conferred with the UIL's district executive committee an voluntarily agreed to suspend those ejected for one game, effective immediately.
"It ends here," said Mesquite ISD spokeswoman Laura Jobe. "There will not be an appeal to the next level of the UIL."
Mathis was unavailable for comment and will not return to work until Thursday.
"I think we have coaches who are really interested in the best interests of their team and their players," Jobe said. "Nobody likes to see this kind of thing happen on a field."
While the investigations may be over, Trimble said "teachable moments" may not be.
"The coaches will be imposing some additional physical training for some of the players," she said. "A little extra physical conditioning will be imposed as well."
DeSoto will return to that stadium to play Mesquite High School. Horn will face North Mesquite this weekend.
