A large fight at Friday night’s City College versus Baltimore Polytechnic high school football game has proved costly for both schools. Both teams now have zero chance of entering the state playoffs.
After the game, which was won by City and improved their record to 6-3, a major brawl broke out in the middle of the field at Johns Hopkins University. It reportedly involved players, students, and community members on both sides.
“It was widespread and we’re clear about our conduct and what the repercussions for that are. It’s unfortunate. I don’t think it represents the best of the two teams or the coaching staffs,” Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises told 11 News.
After careful review, district officials issued a statement, saying: “When a team engages in a fight, they are automatically suspended for the next game. For both of our teams, this means that they will not participate in the state playoffs.”
“I, too, am really disappointed and I believe the young people are disappointed, too,” Santelises said. “It’s a time to say what kind of behavior is really reflective of standards.”
The City-Poly rivalry has been billed as one of the fiercest high school football rivalries in the nation. They have faced off against each other 133 times, with City coming out victorious in the last 10 contests.
Poly finished the season with a better 8-2 record, placing them 12th among Maryland’s Class 3A High School Football Rankings.
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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told 11 News he agrees, saying: “It’s the right call. We know those young people know — especially at those institutions that have such rich history of having a rivalry, one of the most fiercest rivalries in this country when it comes to high school football, but it’s always been done with dignity and respect.”
Fighting at high school football games has become an issue across the nation, but it’s much better than the alternative of hearing gunshots, which has happened way too much at these games.
