Brawl results in game being called off
Numerous fights erupt in Bernalillo, Española Valley meeting
A major fight erupted Friday night between the football teams from Bernalillo and Española Valley, causing officials to call off that nondistrict game in the middle of the first quarter, Spartans coach John Cobos told the Journal.
There was no immediate word on injuries, although Cobos said no Bernalillo player was hurt.
The visiting Spartans were leading the Sundevils 7-0 with 6:36 to go in the first quarter when the incident occurred. Cobos said Española Valley coach Miguel Medina later decided to take his team off the field and forfeit.
“He said, ‘I don’t want anything to happen to your fans, players, coaches,’ ” Cobos said. “He said, ‘I’ve lost the composure of my team right now.’ That’s what he told me.”
After the two teams were pulled apart following several minutes of pushing and punching, Cobos said, officials huddled to determine which players should be ejected. Only one Spartans player was ejected, Cobos said, adding that he believed multiple Sundevil players were ejected. The exact number could not be confirmed late Friday.
Medina told Cobos and the officials that his team would forfeit the game, Cobos said.
But New Mexico Activities Association executive director Sally Marquez said late Friday night that her organization would have to investigate and examine the film from the game before making any rulings, including forfeiture.
This was a district opener for both schools. The teams do not share an open date between now and the end of the regular season, so it was unclear how — or even if — this game could resume.
According to Cobos, this was how the sequence of events unfolded:
The Sundevils punted to Bernalillo, and one player from each team — away from the ball — were aggressively pushing each other back and forth. Another Española Valley player came over and got involved, which led the Spartans’ punt return team to intervene, followed by players from Española Valley, many apparently leaving the sideline.
It was not clear who threw the first punch.
“When punches started,” Cobos said, “Española Valley came onto the field.”
Cobos said there were multiple fights between players as the fracas quickly escalated.
“It was definitely an out-of-control situation,” he told the Journal in a phone interview as the team was driving back to Bernalillo.
“It happened so fast,” Cobos added. “I don’t know who threw what (punches) or where.”
Efforts to reach Medina were unsuccessful.
Cobos said he raced out onto the field and that coaches and officials from both schools were trying to separate players. That took a few minutes, he said.
Later, he said, Española Valley fans began to leave the bleachers, some spilling onto the sideline where there were further fights among the Española Valley fans. Cobos said no Bernalillo fans were involved.
“Turned into a brawl at that time,” Cobos said.
This ugly incident comes one night after a former Española Valley student was shot dead, and three others wounded in a shooting near Ohkay Owingeh Casino, just up the road from Española Valley High School.
“Emotions were riding high with the shooting,” Cobos said. “I wanted to get my kids safe, along with our fans and my family. My wife was at the game.”
Friday night games
Aidan Trujillo scored on a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:02 remaining in the game, and third-ranked Centennial (7-0, 3-0 in 3-6A) rallied to beat Las Cruces (3-4, 1-2) 20-14 at the Field of Dreams. Also from that district, Hobbs (5-1, 2-0) routed Oñate 63-13 and Carlsbad (3-3-1, 1-2) got a much-needed victory, 35-0 over Gadsden. … In District 2/5-6A, visiting Clovis (3-4, 1-0) whipped Sandia (2-5, 0-1) 39-0 at Wilson Stadium. … At Milne Stadium, visiting Piedra Vista (4-2) pulled away in the second half for a 42-14 victory over Albuquerque High (2-4). … In Farmington, the Scorpions (3-4) overcame a 20-6 deficit in the fourth quarter, then summoned a late goal-line stand as they preserved a 28-20 victory over Rio Grande (1-6). … Volcano Vista’s District 1-6A opener was a success as the fifth-ranked Hawks (5-1) beat West Mesa (1-5) 48-22 at Nusenda Community Stadium. … Alamogordo (1-6) broke its twoyear, 17-game losing streak, as the Tigers blanked Chaparral 35-0. It was the first win for Alamo since mid-November 2016. … Belen held off visiting Deming 35-26 as the Eagles improved to 4-3.
TODAY: The key 6A game is at Nusenda Community Stadium at 1 p.m., where Rio Rancho (1-4) plays Cibola (3-2) in a District 1 opener. At 6 p.m. at Milne, Class 3A’s top-ranked Hope Christian (6-0) plays host to New Mexico Military Institute (5-1).
Albuquerque Academy has its homecoming game at noon today against Hot Springs.