A brief scuffle between rival teams ended a football game early Oct. 24 at Columbus South High School.
Columbus police confirmed they responded at 8:52 p.m. to a report that a large fight had broken out on the field, where South was facing off against Marion-Franklin.
In a video of the game on Hudl, South was down 20-7 with 10:22 left in the third quarter when a Marion-Franklin player runs into a South player standing on the sideline, knocking him backward.
Another South player then pushes the Marion-Franklin player, and the two end up hitting each other’s helmets. The livestream shows South and Marion-Franklin players rushing to the sidelines, where they began to fight before moving out of the camera’s view.
The situation was “under control and contained” by 8:55 p.m., according to police, with no injuries, arrests or spectators involved.
The game was called off due to safety concerns, with a final score of 20-7.
Police said reports that players from both teams threatened each other were unfounded, and there was no retaliation.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Contact features, entertainment and things to do reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: South vs. Marion-Franklin football game halted after sideline scuffle
Reporting by Belinda M. Paschal, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
