High School Review : Coach Says Fight Was Unexpected

Scott Munson said Tuesday he was surprised by the fight between players from Julian and Francis Parker high schools that put an early end to Saturday’s game between the rivals and resulted in his suspension for at least one year as coach of Julian’s eight-man football team.

“We’re talking high school football and emotions run high,” said Munson, 27. “What it is is a controlled war between two schools. But I did not expect to get a fight out of it.”

John Mann, Julian’s principal, suspended Munson on Monday for not controlling his team. Saturday’s game was stopped with 3:45 to play, giving Francis Parker a 45-18 victory. It was the first time in six games this season that Julian had been scored against.

“It was one of those games where everything went Parker’s way,” Mann said. “It was a situation where nothing was happening for Julian (in the second half). This was the first time all season when we had any struggle at all.”

Said Munson: “A fight started, but I didn’t see who started it. Chances are, it was one of my players. There was a lot of frustration.”

Munson denies reports that he urged his players to fight. He did, however, tell his players to “cut and stick,” a legal dive block commonly used on goal-line situations.

Dan Kuiper, Francis Parker coach, said there were several racial slurs from Julian players directed toward Marc Sherman, who scored four touchdowns for Parker. Kuiper also said there was considerable tension between these teams last season during Julian’s 33-0 victory, but there were no fights in that game.

“That wasn’t the way to end a game because they got beat,” Kuiper said. “You don’t go nuts just because you can’t win a football game. It was a great game up to that point.”

Mike Cunningham, an assistant at Julian, will take over as head coach for the remainder of the season. Cunningham, who was head coach at St. Augustine and Ramona, indicated, however, that he will not return as head coach at Julian next season.

Munson, who graduated from San Diego State two years ago, will remain at Julian as a social science and mathematics teacher.

Asked whether he plans to return to coaching after the suspension, Munson said, “That is totally up in the air. . . . I did do things on the sideline that were unprofessional (arguing with officials). But they are not things that are unusual for coaches to do.”

Julian plays Bishop’s this week. If Julian wins, there will be a three-way tie for first place in the Coastal League among Julian, Bishops and Francis Parker.

Sam Blalock, Mt. Carmel’s baseball coach, is hoping for a return of steel cleats to high school baseball. Blalock recently sent a questionnaire to San Diego County coaches asking for their feelings on steel cleats. He said most coaches want to bring them back.

Blalock’s survey coincides with the San Diego Section’s recommendation to the California Interscholastic Federation council Friday that requested a ruling on the use of steel cleats. The council has put the item on the agenda for its Jan. 29 meeting.

The steel cleats were outlawed across the nation in 1984 by the National Federation baseball rules committee, which governs high school baseball.

The National Federation ruled that steel cleats are more dangerous than the plastic cleats now being used.

Granite Hills Coach Gordy Thompson said just the opposite is true.

“I see more kids getting hurt with the plastic than with the steel,” he said. “You see a lot of kids crossing home plate and then their feet slip out from under them.”

Traction seems to be the biggest concern among coaches who favor the steel cleats. Blalock said the plastic cleats often give out if a player doesn’t cross the plate solidly. There is also the argument that the plastic cleats wear out quicker.

Kendall Webb, section commissioner, said there are three ways the state council could rule on the matter:

--Vote to keep the current ruling.

--Ask the National Federation rules committee to consider an optional phase of the rule. (Webb said this is unlikely because the National Federation has said that metal cleats are more dangerous.)

--Make a state-wide rule deviation for teams that wish to use metal cleats.

The state council has voted to deviate from the national rules in several instances in the past, including using a shot clock and instituting a back-court violation in girls’ basketball.