A fracas involving numerous football players from McCurdy and Laguna Acoma high schools caused the cancellation of Friday’s homecoming game between the schools at the Ohkay Owingeh Sports Complex.
About halfway through the second quarter with the score tied at 6-all, the helmet of a McCurdy player was apparently yanked off during a tackle, leading to punches being thrown.
That quickly escalated into scattered fights across the field, which took referees and coaches from both teams about five minutes to contain.
“It was a really heated game and ended up turning into an altercation on the field,” Sarah Tario, McCurdy school director and interim athletic director said.
Officials declared the game over at that point and it will stand as a tie, she said.
In a letter from the New Mexico Activities Association, four players from McCurdy were ejected from the game and six Hawks players were ejected, Tario said.
Officers from the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office and the Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police were called to the field, but order had already been restored by that point.
The Friday night homecoming was McCurdy’s first home night game since the Bobcats’ regular field on campus is not lit. The team has been playing at the Sports Complex on Saturday afternoons this season, as the McCurdy field is being completely reseeded, a process that started shortly before the season started.
NMAA officials were still investigating the situation, JP Murietta, association spokesman, said. Ejections generally carry automatic, one-game suspensions and the suspensions can be longer, depending on the circumstances.
School and NMAA officials were still waiting to review a video of the altercation and interview player involved before deciding a course of action, Tario said.
Likewise, the school is waiting to decide if any disciplinary action beyond NMAA sanctions is warranted.
“There are questions that still need to be answered,” she said.
McCurdy, which is 4-2-1 and 1-0-1 in District 1-2A play, is scheduled to play Cuba at 1 p.m. Saturday at home, but that game may be in jeopardy.
The Bobcats, who had to forfeit a game earlier this season because there were not enough eligible players, were already playing with a short roster of less than 20 players that included four eighth-graders. Only about 14 players see regular playing time, interim coach Mel Martinez said earlier in the season. He did not respond to interview requests.
“Losing players is always going to have an impact,” Tario said.
The homecoming ceremonies were postponed until the following night’s dance, where the court and king and queen were recognized.
This is not the Bobcats’ football program’s first issue of the season. Original head coach De’Jor Curtis had been placed on administrative leave after the season opener and was replaced by Martinez.