GHSA issues penalties for Wilcox-Fitzgerald ‘brawl’ after football scrimmage
Loading ...[Breaking news: Click here for details of the written statements turned in by both schools with their versions of the brawl]
The GHSA has handed out penalties to Fitzgerald and defending Class A state champion Wilcox County after a confrontation involving players, coaches and fans after last week’s football scrimmage.
- Each school was fined $250 for violating the rule about a “multi-player fight after a game”
- Each school was put under “Severe Warning Status” through the end of the 2010 football season, meaning any future sportsmanship violation will result in more severe penalties.
- Each school is banned from any scrimmages before the 2011 football season.
There were no player or coach suspensions, although each school may take internal disciplinary measures.
“Even when things happen out of the blue, someone has to be responsible,” said Ralph Swearngin, the GHSA’s executive director.
“We want to send a message to students, coaches, school administrators, and the general public that school-based athletics ought to be an example of people behaving properly. That wasn’t the case here.”
The post-game incident has been described as a “brawl involving more than 100 people.”
It appeared to be instigated after a nasty exchange of words between Wilcox County coach Mark Ledford and Fitzgerald coach Robby Pruitt as the teams lined up to shake hands. Ledford was upset at Fitzgerald for running up the score and fans cheering after quarterback Nick Marshall was briefly injured on a play, according to Wilcox officials.
“I am sure there were instances where people threw punches,” Swearngin said. “I think it’s interesting that in all the reports we got, they all indicated that things like punches and people getting hit by helmets did happen.
“But no one has a clue who did what to whom … In order to have a [suspensions], we would need jersey numbers and some kind of verifiable evidence that these were the people that actually did that.”
The only video available of the confrontation was from a fan’s cell phone and proved to be non-productive. “To our knowledge, there is no video evidence that captures it from beginning to end,” Swearngin said.
Both schools have the right to appeal the GHSA’s ruling, which was based on written reports from both principals and three City of Fitzgerald police offers. Swearngin said that the GHSA penalties might’ve been more severe had the incident happened after a game rather than a scrimmage.
Wilcox County and Fitzgerald, two of the state’s most successful football programs, are located 22 miles apart and do not play in the regular season. Both schools agreed it was best not to play each other in any other sports for the remainder of this year.
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63 comments Add your comment
jessie
August 21st, 2010
10:35 pm
This for Former Wilcox player you sound so stupid , i have been coaching little leauge baseball 6 years and haven’ t had this problem, this is football and you played 3 years of jv foootball, what do you have between your ears not a brain for sure , sounds like a sissy.
BLACKGOLD
August 22nd, 2010
12:26 am
FITZGERALD PURPLE HURRICANES WILL ALWAYS BE CONTENDERS IN THE S.E.C. OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND WE ARE GONNA BE THE TEAM YOU CANT SLEEP GOOD AT NIGHT ..KNOWING YOU GOT TO FACE THEM WHEN YOU WAKE UP ON FRIDAY MORNINGS WE ARE HARD NOSE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WIT HELLA HEARTS.I KNOW YOU LOVE TO HATE EM , WE SERVED TIFT CO. NOW WE LOOKING TO BREAK THE RAMS OFF …THEN ON TO THE NEXT ONE ..WE ARE GONNA BE THE TEAM THAT STANDS LAST …AND YOU CAN BET THAT
Former Wilcox player
August 22nd, 2010
1:20 am
What I have Jessie, is a respect for the game, and the people who choose to play it. Apparently, you never got to play. You may have tried out, but your attitude put you in the stands. It makes no difference if you play football, baseball, basketball or any sport. There are going to be remarks from one side or another. You learn to let them slide off your back like water on a duck. As far a being a sissy goes, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and come and let me know when you can come and play ball. In the last six years, I have had the pleasure to teach kids to play well enough to go on to All-Stars and come in second in state championships. What I learned came from my experience at Wilcox high school. From the coaches there. I gained what I know from the time I spent there, and pass it on to my son, and the boys, and girls, that play on the teams I coach. It makes me proud that I will continue to send kids to a level that will make them work harder, and become better players. Sissy, my friend, is something you can call anyone. Champion, is something you can call a very few. But thank you for your support of sports.
Mike
August 22nd, 2010
10:17 am
Sounds more like a tap on the wrist than a penalty. The GHSA is gutless!
Coolest in the Clutch
August 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
.
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NESBITT for HEISMAN
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.
O-me
August 22nd, 2010
2:15 pm
Ralph we get the message..Nothing will be done, so lets get’it on! GHSA sucks!
Bet if that had been a team that never makes play-off…they would have a $3000 fine and two are 3 players suspended.
Its also time Ralph to get tough with the ref’s…I”ve never in 40 years seen it as bad as it is now. I attended a game in Brunswick Ga Friday night and don’t know either team but ref’s caused one team at least two TD’s on bad calls. What a sad way to treat kids that work so hard to win and ref’s decide game with bad calls.
Cane lover
August 22nd, 2010
5:23 pm
Fitzgerald Alumni….First of all, I said that it was an unfortunate situation for BOTH teams…we weren’t fighting ourselves. I may be disappointed for what happened, but I will never be ashamed of my town or my CANES. If you don’t feel this town is being run right, then do something about it instead of griping about it. If you aren’t proud of where you live then this may be the wrong town for you. You are no better than the person that started the fighting to begin with. Sounds like to me you are just a sourpuss that someone has made mad because he didn’t get his way.
GHS#22
August 23rd, 2010
7:58 am
JB STONER, REMAINS US AGAIN THAT WE ARE IN GEORGIA…….
Bigot!!!
LOVE TO BE HATED
August 23rd, 2010
10:49 am
@WILCOX PATRIOT! YOU MUST THINKS HE GRAND AND ALL THAT! GET A FREAKIN LIFE JUST LOOK AFTER YOUR JUNIOR! YA’LL SURE DO WANNA SEE HIM FAIL BECAUSE YOU STILL STUCK IN LIL WILCOX COUNTY! HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO BUT TALK ABOUT NICK MARSHALL! GET YO WEIGHT UP!IF YOU CONCENTRATE ON YOUR CHILD INSTEAD OF NICK MAYBE YOU CAN GET SUM WHERE!
THE TRUTH
August 24th, 2010
9:44 am
To all the fans and alumi of Fitzgerald.. I have followed you for some time now and I have researched your games of the past and present. The Region your in is WEAK. You play all the sorry teams 1st and then you play talented teams later. I’m not saying you guys don’t have talent but you use your schedule to mature your team and use the region your in to do that. As for Buford, There in a county that has major talent and alot of people which have a choice in where to go to school. Chapionships bring in big names. Unlike your conty BEN Hill where FITZGERALD is the only thing there. Your town brings in SORE LOOSERS. I was so glad that BUFORD put ya’ll in your place. Fitzgerald finally played someone with HORSEPOWER.Oh by the way, I’m not affiliated to BUFORD.. My region has alot of talent but we are all so close in talent that we beat each other out of a Championship..
THE TRUTH
August 24th, 2010
11:16 am
Aug 20 Fri 8:00 PM Tift County (1-AAAAA) Won 40-26 WOW!!!Tift was 3 and 7 last year.. So what if you beat a 5 A School..Every team you have till you Come to Thomasville. Let’s see how you do then.. Your schedule is like the last several years.. WEAK!WEAK!!!
Aug 27 Fri 7:30 PM Worth County (1-AAA) Away 5 & 6 IN 2009
Sep 03 Fri 8:00 PM Irwin County (2-A) Home 5 & 6 IN 2009
Sep 17 Fri 8:00 PM Coffee (1-AAAAA) Away 3 & 7 IN 2009
Sep 24 Fri 7:30 PM Albany (1-AA)* Home 0 & 10 IN 2009
Oct 01 Fri 7:30 PM Cook (1-AA)* Away 7 & 6 IN 2009
Oct 08 Fri Early County (1-AA)* Home 5 & 5 IN 2009
Oct 15 Fri Thomasville (1-AA)* Away 8 & 4 IN 2009 Fitz. Loss
Oct 22 Fri 7:30 PM Berrien (1-AA)* Away 5 & 5 IN 2009
Oct 29 Fri Brooks County (1-AA)* Home 9 & 3 IN 2009 Fitz. Loss
As the above shows that even when a team plays out of their region to Larger Division Schools its really just a scrimmage game.. Hardest game at the end to BROOKS COUNTY which you guys beat by 2 touchdowns…
wolfman
August 24th, 2010
1:12 pm
it doesn’t shock me that this happened with fitzgerald when we bea them in the semis fans were very aggresive towards us and we had a ful police escort there leaving never have been the condtions we have been treated in been that bad
parent
September 4th, 2010
8:54 am
I have to agree with the educator. If this would have happen in a class room, then teachers and students would have been fired and expelled. I am from Fitzgerald and have lived in Wilcox for a period of time, my parents still live in Wilcox. I have to say that it does not suprise me for Fitzgerald! This town has TOO MUCH ego and no self respect! This town cares nothing for others only for self. I have to say that as a parent and sub-teacher that I am so glad that my boys WILL NOT play for Fitzgerald and will be home schooled. It stated out with fighting in schools then football feild. Just two weeks later you have a stabbing in Wal-Mart in Fitzgerald. Our children look up to players and coaches and when they see them acting like fools guess what then it sends wrong message. It does not matter who started it or what it was over. It should have stoped with the coaches. Coaches on both teams should have been MEN that they are suppose to be and not KIDS! As far as punishment, it is a joke! BHC will not do anything due to its FOOTBALL! Thats all this town cares about!