The High School Football Players Who Attacked A Referee Might Face Charges

On Sunday, we brought you the disturbing video of two high school football players in Texas attacking a referee from behind during a game.

Well, now news has come down that both of the defensive backs from John Jay High School have been suspended and could potentially face criminal charges. Via ESPN:

Both players were immediately ejected from the game and later suspended from the team and from school, pending an investigation by the Northside Independent School District. The referee was “very upset” and “wanting to press charges,” Austin Football Officials Association secretary Wayne Elliott said.

“The first thing we want is that those two kids never play football again,” said Elliott, who declined to release the referee’s name and added he was seeking guidance from the state officials association.

Northside Independent School District athletic director Stan Laing told KENS5-TV that the incident Friday was “disturbing” and “inexcusable.”

A district spokesperson told the Associated Press that game officials, coaches, and students would be heard from in a due process hearing, which will also include the state’s sports governing body, the University Interscholastic League.

The attack was apparently perpetrated because John Jay had two players ejected earlier in the game, and the players were upset with the calls the ref had been making. However, no call the ref could make, no matter how terrible, can excuse doing something like that. It would be surprising at this point if the high school football careers of those two players are not over for good.

The play in which the incident occurred was at the end of the game when John Jay’s opponents, Marble Falls, were attempting to run out the clock and seal a 15-9 victory.

(Via ESPN, Associated Press)

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