GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia High School Association has made its ruling regarding the on-field altercation during the third quarter of the second-round Class 5A playoff game between Gainesville and Brunswick.
The ruling includes 39 suspensions of Red Elephant football team members for violating sportsmanship and sideline control bylaws, including players leaving the bench area during the incident. Gainesville High School athletics is appealing the punishment.
“While we typically do not condone this type of behavior, we will not sit back and watch our teammates be assaulted by ripping off helmets, punching, and barreling over a helmet-less player,” said Gainesville City Schools Superintendent Jeremy Williams. “The large majority of our team entered the field with the intent to separate and resolve the incident, not escalate. Every true team would do the same. It’s disappointing that a hard-line interpretation of the rule was applied, and we will be appealing.”
As it stands at the time of this release, the Red Elephants will face Langston Hughes in the GHSA Class 5A state quarterfinals at Langston Hughes on Friday.
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