Palmdale Head Coach Denies Role in Attack

Palmdale High coaches and administrators have denied accusations that failure of the football coaching staff to control its team contributed to the attack of an official by a Palmdale player during a game Friday night.

Midway through the fourth quarter of a scoreless Golden League game between Palmdale and Saugus at College of the Canyons, defensive back Darius Wilson (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) charged back judge Brad Woolley and slammed him to the ground.

The assault triggered an ugly scene in which Palmdale’s bench and bleachers cleared. The game was suspended and Wilson was arrested by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies. Wilson, 18, has been suspended from school and could be charged with misdemeanor battery later this week, according to the Newhall district attorney’s office.

Palmdale’s first-year coach, Kent Bothwell, described Wilson as a model student and said that his player acted uncharacteristically. Bothwell said Wilson was frustrated by the scoreless tie and three consecutive penalties called against Palmdale.

According to witnesses, however, the incident might have been spawned by what was described as a disorderly Palmdale bench. The Falcons were flagged five times for personal fouls, including consecutive 15-yard penalties because of remarks directed toward officials by the Palmdale bench. The final flag triggered Wilson’s attack.

Bothwell, however, said that players and coaches remained in control throughout the game.

“We all felt frustration, especially since we were completely dominating the game, statistically,” said Bothwell, a 1969 graduate of Pacifica High in Garden Grove. “I’ve asked myself many times and I’ve asked my principal and athletic director, ‘Was there anything I could have done to prevent it?’ I don’t think there was. I think it was just one kid who acted irrationally.”

Palmdale Principal Linda Janzen, who attended the game, said she did not consider Palmdale’s sideline behavior unruly but said that school administrators will review videotape of the game.

“We’re still gathering all the facts,” she said. “Clearly, that (kind of) behavior cannot be condoned. If coaches are at fault, we’ll have to address that.”

Saugus Coach Dick Flaherty declined comment but at least one eyewitness believes that disciplinary action is warranted.

“The Palmdale coach was very upset and it seemed like he had no control over his players,” said Steve Clark, a commentator for KBET radio, which broadcasted the game. “Palmdale’s bench cleared, Palmdale’s stands cleared. It was all a blur after that.”

Woolley, 31, who said earlier this week that he suffered a bruised back and minor scratches and would consider filing civil charges against Wilson, said that he has been instructed by Southern Section officials to decline comment.

League principals and athletic directors will meet Thursday to determine how the game’s outcome should be resolved. Flaherty, who has maintained that his players were not involved in the incident, has argued that Saugus should be awarded a victory by forfeit. Saugus Principal Mike von Buelow, the league’s president, said he will support that contention.

Janzen declined comment on the status of the game.

Canyon Principal Bill White, who did not attend the game, said: “I have not seen the film, so I can’t say what happened. But, if what I heard (actually) happened, Palmdale was way out of line, way out of line. If Palmdale provoked the whole thing, something should be done.”

Bothwell bristled at the notion of a Palmdale forfeit.

“There is no way that should happen,” he said. “I think we were at fault in the act--that Darius Wilson attacked an official. And I in no way condone what Darius Wilson did. But the game should not have been called.”

Surprisingly, Bothwell said he thought that the game should have been resumed on Friday night. Flaherty said that he did not protest the suspension because the score was tied.