OAL adopts strict security rules
Fans planning to attend Oakland Athletic League football games on Friday will be dealing with strict new security measures, league commissioner Alphonso Powell said Wednesday.
The rules are the result of fighting last Friday that stopped the Skyline at Oakland Tech game early in the third quarter. Skyline was leading 7-6, but Powell said the game will be ruled “nocontest.”
Under the new guidelines, only students from the competing schools will be admitted without being accompanied by an adult, but they will have to show student IDs. Middle school students, players’ younger siblings and students from other schools must be with “a responsible adult” for admittance, Powell said.
The OAL has a full slate of games Friday.
Michael Peters, McClymonds’ longtime coach, said the recent problems have been a concern.
“It’s pretty sad that fans can’t come out and behave themselves, watch the game and enjoy the game,” Peters said. “Even at the Oakland Tech-Skyline game, it was in the stands. It wasn’t the players. But that put a bad label on our league. If they can’t come and enjoy the game, don’t come at all.”
The fighting at the Skyline-Oakland Tech game mostly took place in the parking lot outside the stadium. It was the third East Bay game in the past two weeks to be altered by fighting or threats of violence. Tennyson’s game at Berkeley last Friday was switched to Saturday afternoon because of social media reaction after an off-campus altercation the day before.
One week earlier, Kennedy-Richmond’s game at El Cerrito was stopped late in the first half because of fighting in the stands and outside the stadium. That game also was ruled nocontest.
College bound
Campolindo senior Haley Van Dyke, the Bay Area News Group’s East Bay girls basketball player of the year last season, has committed to the University of Washington. The 6-foot post player averaged 24 points and 15.4 rebounds per game last season while leading Campolindo to its first appearance in a state championship game in 20 years.
• Valley Christian running back Charlie Bostic has made an oral commitment to San Jose State, he announced on Twitter. He has rushed for 816 yards and 13 touchdowns in 57 carries this season.