Last week, a scuffle happened among two local high school football teams following a game.
This week, a third school is being affected by the consequences of that incident.
The scuffle happened among football players for Vermilion Parish's North Vermilion High School and Lafayette Parish's Comeaux High School. Law enforcement are investigating the incident; read our story about it here.
Today, the Abbeville Meridonal is reporting that the Louisiana High School Athletic Association has suspended both teams for one game - this week's game. To read their story about that, click here.
Vermilion Paris Superintendent Tommy Byler confirmed it.
"The LHSAA has suspended both North Vermilion and Comeaux High School for this Friday's games and will be waiting for reports from both schools on internal discipline and or actions to make a decision on these teams playing in future weeks," Byler told us. "North Vermilion administration is currently reviewing video and will take necessary steps based on school and district policy on any further student discipline."
Lafayette Parish School Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. confirmed that Comeaux is forfeiting the game scheduled for this week with St. Thomas More and the players involved are facing disciplinary action.
"Let me be clear: Unsportsmanlike behavior and misconduct will not be tolerated at any of our schools or during extracurricular activities. Students who choose to engage in such actions will face serious consequences," Touchet says.
We reached out to the LHSAA, but they tell us they don't release details about discipline or investigations. We also reached out to the Vermilion Parish School System and we're waiting on their response.
In the meantime, we've verified with the school scheduled to play North Vermilion this week, Teurlings Catholic High School, that they have no game this week.
Unfortunately, this is their homecoming week. We reached out to Teurlings Principal Jed Hebert, who told us they're doing their best to preserve the students' experience.
Because all the activities, including the dance, are already planned and in place, Teurlings is proceeding with those, he said. The school has one home game left this season, set for November 8, and at that game the homecoming court will be presented and the queen announced, Hebert said.
It's not the best situation, but they're doing the best they can so the students can have a homecoming experience, he said.
