If you can beat 'em, beat the shit out of 'em

[Pell City Tiger]

Click on the link and check out the photo gallery of the fracas.

Pahokee football game ends in brawl

MIRAMAR — A summer exhibition "game" between two of South Florida's top high school football teams, Pahokee and Miami's Booker T. Washington, turned ugly Saturday at the Nike South Florida 7-on-7 passing tournament.

Washington won 22-21 on a last-second touchdown and two-point conversion, but a post-game brawl will be the lasting image for both teams.

After the final play, a Washington player threw a Pahokee player to the ground, said Len Kosmalski, a Nike sales representative who was knocked on his back while trying to separate players in the melee at Miramar Regional Park.

"I don't know if (Pahokee) was coming over because of that or because of the loss of the game ... but it exploded after that," Kosmalski said.

Players and coaches from each school blamed the other for instigating the fight, which lasted roughly two minutes.

No players were known to be injured, but Washington head coach Earl Tillman hit the turf and screamed in pain as he clutched his left knee. Tillman later was taken from the field by ambulance after suffering what an assistant coach called a dislocated knee.

Immediately after the final play, Pahokee players rushed across the field to Washington's sideline and the teams began throwing punches.

Several players from both sides ended up on the ground and were punched and kicked. Pahokee head coach Blaze Thompson struggled to pull four of his players off a fallen Washington player.

At one point, the fighting appeared to quiet, but Pahokee's Norman Griffith lunged into a group of Washington players and reignited the brawl.

Near the end of the altercation, Washington junior Quentin Dunbar left his teammates and returned with a metal pole. His coaches quickly stopped him and took it away.

Pahokee and Washington were considered favorites to win the 16-team tournament, which essentially consists of 7-on-7 touch football without pads or helmets on a shortened field, but both were disqualified. Part of the animosity might have stemmed from Washington beating Pahokee in the adidas 7-on-7 tournament June 30.

"It's disappointing," said Scott Henson, a brand manager for Nike who served as the official spokesman for the event. "We understand that the competition gets heated, but that's not the way to address it."

Following his team's ejection, Thompson chastised his team in front of its Palm Beach County school district bus.

"You're not going to hear me say don't protect yourself ... but you have to allow coaches and refs to break up a fight," Thompson told them.

Thompson, who was visibly upset hours after returning from Miramar, said he does not condone fighting and he will consider disciplinary action. He said his superiors requested he withhold further comment, and he planned to call a team meeting this week.

Norbert Herriott, Washington's defensive backs coach, attributed the fight to Pahokee's frustration, and added that his school will review the incident and determine any necessary punishment. Herriott said Tillman is hospitalized at Memorial Hospital in Miramar and is scheduled for surgery Monday.

It was the third game of Saturday morning's preliminary rounds, and players from both sides verbally taunted each other throughout. Herriott described the overall mood as "chippy."

Pahokee was the only Palm Beach County school in the tournament, but 7-on-7 football rapidly is growing in popularity throughout South Florida as teams use it to get a head start on the season. At last month's adidas tournament in Orlando, eight area teams competed.

Nike had no comment about future events for either school. Both are scheduled to play separate opponents in the Miami Sports Kickoff Classic, sponsored by Nike, at Traz Powell Stadium late next month.

Washington won the adidas tournament and Pahokee was the runner-up, qualifying both for the national championship in Atlanta scheduled for July 30. Pahokee won the championship in Los Angeles last season.

A spokesman for adidas had no comment Saturday, and the Florida High School Athletic Association did not respond to requests for comment.

The Blue Devils have won four Class 2B state titles in the past five years, and Washington is the defending champion in Class 4A.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/sports/epaper/2008/07/12/0712pahokee.html

[stewiegriffin]

Pete Rich wouldn't put up with that shit, he would kick some young asses.

[Pell City Tiger]

You're right. He and WT would be knocking heads and putting a foot in some asses!

[stewiegriffin]

You're right. He and WT would be knocking heads and putting a foot in some asses!

saw coach Rich a year or so ago, he could STILL kick some asses.
WT? don't know who that is

[Pell City Tiger]

Coach Benefield. Was one of Pete's defensive assistants.

[Snaggletiger]

I love how in the big scrum picture with the coach trying to pull players off the pile....one kid is holding on to the ball like he's fighting for yardage.

[AUTailgatingRules]

Wonder how many of those kids sabear will sign?  They should fit right in.

[stewiegriffin]

Coach Benefield. Was one of Pete's defensive assistants.

I believe he was there after me, I graduated in 1978

[Pell City Tiger]

Yeah, he hired on in 1980 I think, He taught drivers ed and defensive backs.

[stewiegriffin]

Yeah, he hired on in 1980 I think, He taught drivers ed and defensive backs.

Freddy Hazlewood taught drivers ed (& history) back then I think

[Tiger Six]

Miami and Florida Atlantic immediately tendered scholarship offers to all players involved.

Stop it with the Pell City reunion.  No one wants to read about old home week in St. Clair County.  Next thing you know people will be posting about Springville and Moody and nobody wants that shit.

[stewiegriffin]

Miami and Florida Atlantic immediately tendered scholarship offers to all players involved.

Stop it with the Pell City reunion.  No one wants to read about old home week in St. Clair County.  Next thing you know people will be posting about Springville and Moody and nobody wants that shit.

It's OK to be jealous of those of us from Pell City. It's alright

[Tiger Six]

It's OK to be jealous of those of us from Pell City. It's alright

Jealous?  Surely you jest.  I grew up in the Greater Roanoke-Randolph County Metroplex Area.  What would I have to be jealous of?

Actually, I had cousins that lived there for a while.  One of them taught school for 100 years (Pell City Tiger knows her.)  Of course, they had the good sense to get out of Possum Trot.   

[Buzz Killington]

Miami and Florida Atlantic immediately tendered scholarship offers to all players involved.

Stop it with the Pell City reunion.  No one wants to read about old home week in St. Clair County.  Next thing you know people will be posting about Springville and Moody and nobody wants that shit.

You just better be glad you didn't include Argo and the Greater Margaret area in your tirade.

[Tiger Six]

You just better be glad you didn't include Argo and the Greater Margaret area in your tirade.

What about Branchville and Odenville?  How could you leave those two out?

[stewiegriffin]

Jealous?  Surely you jest.  I grew up in the Greater Roanoke-Randolph County Metroplex Area.  What would I have to be jealous of?

Actually, I had cousins that lived there for a while.  One of them taught school for 100 years (Pell City Tiger knows her.)  Of course, they had the good sense to get out of Possum Trot.   

Possum Trot? shit man, we're centrally located between the metropolitan areas of Bham and Anniston, got a walmart AND a kmart! not to mention the "pink store"

[Tiger Six]

Possum Trot? shit man, we're centrally located between the metropolitan areas of Bham and Anniston, got a walmart AND a kmart! not to mention the "pink store"

Sarcasm is lost on you, isn't it?

And isn't there a Possum Trot that is a suburb of Wattsville?

[stewiegriffin]

Sarcasm is lost on you, isn't it?

And isn't there a Possum Trot that is a suburb of Wattsville?

I recognize sarcasm when  it occurs  never heard of possum trot, heard of wattsville, probably a lot like castleberry holler tho.
Who's your cousin? if they taught there for 100 years I probablly know them, maybe.

[Saniflush]

I recognize sarcasm when  it occurs  never heard of possum trot, heard of wattsville, probably a lot like castleberry holler tho

It ain't no Slapout!

[Pell City Tiger]

Freddy Hazlewood taught drivers ed (& history) back then I think

Freddy and WT teamed up in drivers ed when I went through it. Sutherland Chevrolet gave us 2 cars so, when WT came to PC from Jacksonville, he wound up having to teach something other than football.

Funny story. About 3 or 4 years after I graduated, I got a call from WT. He was selling insurance.....with Freddy Hazelwood!