Vikes, Pats Banned from Football Postseason
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Moore County schools have announced that the N.C. High School Athletic Association has ruled that both Pinecrest and Union Pines football teams are ineligible for postseason play.
The sanctions related to the Pinecrest and Union Pines football game Aug. 27 in which an on-field altercation occurred between players from the two teams, according to a press release from Moore County schools.
Three players from each team were ejected from the game for fighting. NCHSAA rules state, “If a situation occurs where three or more players on one team are ejected during one fighting incident, those three individual ejections will cause the team to lose its playoff privileges.”
The press release indicated that each school has been fined for violating a rule that prohibits players leaving the bench area and going onto the playing area during an altercation. Also, the six ejected players are suspended from play for two games. Both football programs have been placed on probation by the NCHSAA which is in keeping with the Association’s practice.
In conjunction with the NCHSAA, each school was required to conduct its own investigation into the incident and, as a result of those investigations, additional players have been disciplined by both schools.
Union Pines suspended seven additional players for leaving the bench area during the altercation.
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Comments
theonewithsense 1 year, 5 months ago
harsh, but rules are rules. I guess in a couple of months we will know if they were banned from the playoffs or if they didn't make them anyway.
greenbay44 1 year, 5 months ago
Chris Hughes of carolinapreps.com has confirmed this information but we should just wait for the press release at this point to see if there are any other pinishments.
silentbob 1 year, 5 months ago
It is on the WRAL news web site that they have both been banned.
Amazed 1 year, 5 months ago
here's a link to the article on wral.com http://www.highschoolot.com/content/story/8227476/
Nicole 1 year, 5 months ago
so sad, this is bad, just because of a few players the entire team has to be punished
dustyrhoades 1 year, 5 months ago
Ouch. Seems a little extreme, but if that is actually the wording of the rule, and three players on each team were actually ejected "during one fighting incident", then I don't see much wiggle room.
ewpguy 1 year, 5 months ago
Agreed Dusty -- it is really unfortunate for all the Seniors on both squads but especially the Pats -- to come from nothing and to build a team up, then not be able to compete, potentially, with the best is truly sad.
Don't allow this to ruin your season Fellas!! Still a lot to do before your year is out, now every game is your playoff -- treat is as such.
camesh 1 year, 5 months ago
Will the jocks be suspended or expelled from school? An on field altercation sounds like it could be assault, fighting, or physical aggression. According to the MC schools student code of conduct, if an assault, fighting, or physical aggression takes place on campus the student (s) could be suspended or expelled.
member 1 year, 5 months ago
In many schools, the school rules extend to any organized activity held on school grounds. This would mean that all consequences for fighting during school hours would be in effect for anything occuring at that game. I'm curious to see if that will be Moore County's stance. I doubt much will be posted about the school's punishments that they assign. Here's hoping neither school has to worry about something like this ever again. It's not good for the players, the coaches, the schools, or the county. Bad reputations last a lot longer than good ones, and it takes mere seconds to go from stellar to less than. Trying to dig out of the hole a bad reputation puts you in is a long, tiring ordeal. Good luck to both teams on that climb out of the hole.
westender 1 year, 5 months ago
PHS class of seventy five. Pinecrest finally has a reputable program and Union Pines seems to be on the track to respectability. Now by all accounts the on field confrontations could have been avoided if the referees had done their jobs. It is just a shame that both teams will have to face such a harsh penality. Good luck to both teams, hope that you will both use this setback as a example for further teams. Hope you both go 10 and 0. God bless
frosty 1 year, 5 months ago
westender why do you say"if the refs had done their jobs none of this would have happened"? By all accounts they had already called 5 or more USC (unsportsmanlike conduct)fouls before the fight. I think the problem was that 6 players couldn't control their emotions and now both teams will suffer. It's not because of the refs or because Pinecrest ran up the score or because Union Pines was tired of getting scored upon. It is only because of the lack of self control of 6 players. The rules and consequences are clear according to the NCHSSA.
donj 1 year, 5 months ago
Well, the refs had nothing to do with it, and yes the 6 players lost control. The problem is that Saint Metzger decided to pile on the score and go for an onside kick while up 200 points...oh and don't forget the two point conversion while up 300 points. I mean that is just classless and leads to incidents like this.
So, it was not the fault of the ref. The kids have blame, but classless coaching is what led to this. Pathetic!
Don
SubtleButReal 1 year, 5 months ago
DonJ:
As I often like to say, opinion without knowledge or experience is a dangerous thing.
Moderated social media is great when users debate subjects between each other and if it gets heated, they start punkin' each other. But to call someone out with a local public personna like Coach Metger in a public forum when you have anonymity as a "user" and no clue what you are talking about is IMO libelous. In the "old" days of news media, papers verified a real name of those submitting a public editorial. But not these days. But not these days. At this point, The Pilot has slummed to below the level of The Enquirerer.....Freddi and Heidi would be proud (look what I did).
For DonJ, I suggest you head over to the Clue Store. I hear they're having a sale this week.
As far as the facts:
Since we can anonymously call out people on the internet these days. why doesn't anybody ask Coach Riggan why he didn't pull #55 and #57 when they were so out out control from the starting whistle (and all in the stands saw #57 was hitting after the whistle on kickoffs the entire first half), and why Coach Riggan didn't pull #50 when he obviously committed a flagrant USC penalty in the open field when hit #30 for PC?
Adminstrative decisions have been made and I seriously would like to move on. So would my family, friends, and those I know on the PC football team. I'm not expecting an answer to my question. I just wanted to show that I could call anyone out if I wanted.
So....Let's say DonJ was a student that Coach Metzger failed in class last year or a someone else that had an axe to grind. My suggestion to The Pilot is 24 hour moderation or discontinue these comment forums. TNT loves drama....most people don't.
scotlass49 1 year, 5 months ago
Too bad for the teams. There is something more important than winning going on here, being held responsible for one's actions. Very valuable lesson, though a painful one. I hope both schools and the individuals involved use this as an important learning moment.
donj 1 year, 5 months ago
SubtleButReal:
Say it with me "C L A S S L E S S"!
GoldenEagle 1 year, 5 months ago
Being at the game i think i can honestly say, no one could be so perfect to state here they know exactly what happened and how it happened. What i can say is that these guys, and coaches, aren't as bad as many want to believe, and POST here. I disagree with many aspects of the game, but that I'll keep to myself and share with those i call friends, and in person. Two of the UP players taking direct number references here have been in my home and around my family. They're better than what happened and what people here think of them. My family and friends also know family, etc of one of the targeted Pinecrest guys, same for him. Likewise, I'm sure that goes for all that were involved. I know they will all learn from this. It was unfortunate, now let's get back to football.
And to a post i noted about what do they have to play for if they can't go to the playoffs, well, I played four years of varsity football when they didn't let independents participate in the playoffs. We played because we love football. There's plenty to play for!!! Good luck to all!
donj 1 year, 5 months ago
SubtleButReal:
I have re-read your post, and you make a few good points. I want to be clear though. Me stating that going for an onside kick while up so much and then a two point conversion later on is not libelous. It is my opinion based on the game. My opinion is that it is 100% CLASSLESS! There is nothing libelous here.
I apologize for calling him "Saint Metzger". That was petty, but this community needs to let him know his actions as the coach were classless. This incident should knock him off the pedestal a little bit. I think the community should be proud when PC and Metzger have big wins and move the program in the right direction. I also think they should hold PC and Metzger accountable for not using good judgment. His coaching decisions that game were classless and should be reviewed - plain and simple! Those decisions were gasoline on the already burning fire.
Don
ExNCer 1 year, 5 months ago
I feel especially bad for all the Seniors and any newly transfered football players to these programs. To be denied the opportunity to play in your final post season really stinks. I believe things happen for a reason, no exception here.
Both schools need to not take this lightly. Make it a focus of what not to do and how to be a better participant. Turn this into an opportunity for learning a life lesson that the entire student population can benefit from.