FHSAA will let schools punish players for brawl

The players involved in Saturday's brawl at the Nike 7-on-7 South Florida tournament in Miramar from Booker T. Washington and Pahokee High will face disciplinary action this week -- just not from the Florida High School Athletic Association.

A spokesman for the state's governing body said Monday the FHSAA will not suspend, fine or penalize either school, but added it expects administrators from the South Florida national football powers to ``take appropriate measures.''

''Because the FHSAA deregulates control over summer activities and because we believe the schools will take proper action, suspensions and penalties in a matter like this are left at the discretion of school personnel,'' said Denarvise Thornton, Associate Executive Director for Athletic Administration.

``We've been in contact with both school principals and we are encouraged both schools will do the right thing.''

Saturday, the defending 4A state champions (which finished the 2007 season nationally ranked) did the wrong thing. Shortly after Booker T.'s Andre Edwards scored the winning two-point conversion in a 22-21 come-from-behind victory, taunting turned into an all-out brawl began near the Booker T. sideline. Both teams were ejected from the tournament.

According to several witness accounts, without police presence it took coaches and tournament volunteers about five minutes to separate the players.

Booker T. coach Earl Tillman, who along with Pahokee coach Blaze Thompson attempted to break up the fight, broke his left leg and was still in the hospital Monday awaiting surgery.

''We're definitely going to take some in-house disciplinary action later this week,'' said Tillman, who pointed out that one player in particular (who left the brawl and returned with a metal rod before being restrained by coaches) would face stiffer action. ``We don't condone unfair sportsmanship at Booker T.''

Thompson, meanwhile, declined further comment Monday, but reiterated Pahokee will take disciplinary action of its own.

Nike, which sponsors both schools, said Monday it would still allow both schools to participate in next month's Miami Sports Kickoff Classic, Aug. 29-30 at Miami's Traz Powell Stadium. Booker T. and Pahokee, though, have been asked to participate in the Positive Coaches Alliance, a seminar for sportsmanship, in the week leading up to their exhibition games.

''Nike really wants to help both teams learn from this experience and gain better sportsmanship and leadership from the alliance,'' Nike spokesman Erica Pedreguera said.

Booker T. went 14-0 and won the Class 4A state championship last season and is scheduled to play three-time Arizona state champion Chandler Hamilton at 7 p.m. Aug. 29. Pahokee, which has won four of the past five Class 2B state titles, is scheduled to play Mississippi power Olive Branch at 1 p.m. the next day. Two-time defending Class 6A state champion Northwestern meets Long Beach Poly (Calif.) at 7 later that night.

Most of the player suspensions, however, are expected to be handled before then. Last month, both teams qualified for the adidas national championship July 30 in Atlanta. Pahokee won the championship last season in Los Angeles.

''Hopefully during our meeting we can sort everything out,'' Tillman said. ``Not everyone out there was fighting. A lot of the kids I told to stand back, did what I asked them to. There is no reason for the kids who avoided trouble to suffer for this.''