Referees stop Eagles football game with Laredo United after two bench clearing brawls

By: Ricardo E. Calderon
Copyright 2013 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

Texas University Interscholastic League-sanctioned high school football referees were forced to exercise their referees’ discretion in calling off and stopping the District 29-5A game between the Eagle Pass High School Eagles and Laredo United High School Longhorns with 2:09 left in the game after a second bench clearing brawl between the two teams’ players at the Eagle Pass Independent School District Cozel Foster-Veterans Memorial Stadium in Eagle Pass, Texas on Saturday, October 19. 2013. The Laredo United Longhorns won the game as they were leading 30-16 when the game was stopped by the referees.

Eagle Pass Independent School District armed security officers were on site and stepped onto the football field twice during the bench clearing brawls between the two teams to secure the safety of the players, referees, and public. Several football players from both teams had previously been ejected from the game before the second brawl ensued with 2:09 left in the fourth quarter. The first bench clearing brawl between the teams occurred with 4:43 left in the fourth quarter and play was resumed after the referees assessed penalties and player ejections on both teams.

Eagle Pass Eagles Head Football Coach Tom Gonzalez told the Eagle Pass Business Journal in an exclusive interview after the game that the “referees had decided to exercise their discretion in calling off the game after the second bench clearing brawl between the teams to protect the players from getting seriously hurt” and the situation getting out of hand.

Eagle Pass Independent School District Athletic Director Edward Graf was at the game and immediately stepped-in to assist the referees after their discretionary decision to stop the game. Eagle Pass High School Principal Val Moreno was also present at the game and assisted with securing the safety of the players, referees, and public once the game was called-off.

The rivalry between the Eagle Pass Eagles and Laredo United Longhorns is legendary in all high school athletic and University Interscholastic League activities, including football, volleyball, baseball, track & field, and others. However, this rivalry should not lead players to commit
personal fouls, unnecessary roughness, and unsportsmanlike fouls. The rivalry should be played on the field based on athleticism, skills, talent, and sportsmanship. Lack of sportsmanship, unnecessary roughness, and a lack of respect and integrity for the sport or activity is not acceptable. Both teams need to learn from this unacceptable experience that it will not be tolerated today nor in the future.