The bench-clearing incident started among players on the court and expanded to include fans, the statement reads.
On behalf of the district, Superintendent David Estrop extended sincere thanks to staff members and police “for their swift and appropriate response in dealing with this matter.”
Jonathan Kuehnle, Springfield High School campus director, is leading the investigation and based on the results, “appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken by coaches and administrators,” according to the statement.
The superintendent is expected to be available Monday for an interview.
FIRST REPORT
In an already heated Greater Western Ohio Conference rivalry, Wayne’s motivation was more about voters than vengeance.
The Warriors felt slighted by voters in the first Associated Press state poll that placed them No. 8 in Division I. That Springfield beat Wayne twice last season added to the game’s emotion Friday night.
A physical, chippy and emotional game boiled over with 4:04 left in the fourth quarter when both benches cleared in a frightening brawl in front of Springfield’s bench and student section. Coaches, school officials, game officials and on-site police officers all tried to break it up.
At the time, Wayne led 65-37 with 4:04 showing on the fourth-quarter clock. There was no word whether the game will be considered official.
“It’s always scary when punches are being thrown, people are being kicked and grabbed,” Wayne coach Travis Trice said. “You don’t know who’s coming out of the stands. I don’t want any of our kids and any of their kids to ever be in that situation. I’m hoping all their guys are OK. For the most part it looks like our guys are all right, except for one guy that is bleeding from the mouth.”
The public address announcer warned any spectators that came onto the floor would be arrested. Players were held in their locker rooms until police and school officials could clear the Springfield High School grounds of all spectators. As many as nine Springfield police cars were on the scene following the fight.
According to Springfield coach Isiah Carson: “One of our kids, Jason Watkins, made a foul and kind of landed on (D’Mitrik) Trice. Nothing dirty. It was kind of awkward, though, the way Trice fell.
“A lot of guys were talking. There was a lot of chirping back and forth, back and forth.”
On Monday, Wayne senior Xeyrius Williams tweeted a message to AP poll voters who put them No. 8, telling them to keep an eye on the Warriors.
“Springfield really don’t know what’s about to happen to them. 100 percent don’t blame us. Blame these AP polls,” Williams tweeted.
Springfield scored the game’s first nine points. The rest of the game belonged to Wayne.
The Warriors, down 11-8 after the first, outscored the Wildcats 15-0 to start the second quarter. Wayne led 20-11 before Springfield’s Henry Alexander hit a pair of free throws with 2:37 before halftime. The Warriors led by double digits the entire second half.
“We haven’t proven anything,” Coach Trice said about the state ranking. “Tonight, for us, wasn’t about Springfield.”
Both schools have ties that in the past have contributed to some tension.
“I used to coach here, I have a lot of Springfield ties. My wife is from Springfield,” Trice said. “A lot of kids who played for us at Wayne grew up (in Springfield). We’ve got to be bigger than that. It should be a friendly rivalry. It should be a rivalry where you come out, compete and shake hands.”
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