Parents’ brawl won’t sideline girls from tournament

Two Santa Fe elementary school girls basketball teams will get to play again after all, despite a postgame fight Wednesday involving some parents at a youth league tournament game.

Principals of Acequia Madre and Turquoise Trail Charter elementary schools said Thursday their teams associated with the Santa Fe Independent Youth Basketball Program will continue to compete in the Division 2 Tournament.

The decision comes after police were called to investigate an altercation involving adults who attended a game at Santo Niño Regional Catholic School on Wednesday.

Kathy Casaus, Acequia Madre’s principal, said in a text message that the school’s team will play in the tournament championship game in PerezShelley Gymnasium at St. Michael’s High School on Sunday.

“I’m thrilled our kids will be allowed to play because the girls did nothing wrong,” Casaus wrote. “We always teach our kids to learn from our mistakes and we hope the community can as well.”

Turquoise Trail Principal Ray Griffin said it was his understanding that his school’s team will participate in the third-place game on the same day at the same venue but indicated he would talk to the coach, Raul Garcia, on Friday to confirm it.

“Without the official word, it appears that both teams will play,” Griffin said.