Palmdale Loses Bid to Repeal Sanctions for Role in Fight : Appeal: A Southern Section panel upholds forfeit, player bans in wake of attack on referees during game.

Southern Section officials have rejected an appeal by the Antelope Valley Union High School District to repeal sanctions imposed on Palmdale High after three of its football players attacked two game officials during a game against Saugus in October.

The Southern Section executive committee, at a hearing Wednesday in which players, coaches and administrators from both schools testified, sustained sanctions by the Golden League, which awarded Saugus a forfeit victory and placed Palmdale on probation for next season.

The league also banned three players from interscholastic competition for their involvement in the attacks, which forced suspension of the scoreless league game midway through the fourth quarter. The game was played at College of the Canyons.

The committee, however, said that it will “continue to explore” accusations by Palmdale players that they were the target of racial taunts by Saugus players and game officials. The five game officials, who were not at the hearing, will be interviewed by the committee within the next six weeks, according to Bill Clark, Southern Section administrator for football. Clark was joined on the committee by Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas and administrator Dean Crowley.

“The committee expressed a great deal of concern regarding the allegations,” Clark said. “They discussed it as part of the session and they share with Palmdale concern over the allegations. It’s difficult to ignore when five or six kids get up there and allege racial remarks.”

Kenneth Brummel, superintendent of the Antelope Valley district, which includes Palmdale, said he had mixed feelings about the hearing’s outcome.

“We made a small step to get the (Southern Section) to look at the behavior of its officials and the issue of racial taunting in games,” Brummel said. “For the first time, I heard them recognize that there’s an issue they need to talk about. On the other hand, I don’t think the testimony of our students was recognized. I believe if you study the testimony that was given, you can’t ignore (the allegations).”

Five Palmdale players testified, including Mike Warren, 18, who, along with teammate Darius Wilson, 18, pleaded no contest to charges of misdemeanor battery last month in Newhall Municipal Court. Both players were sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to perform more than 400 hours of community service for their involvement in the attacks.

The melee began when Wilson tackled back judge Brad Woolley after Palmdale had been penalized for a third consecutive personal foul. Warren and junior Keith Bennett, 16, also made contact with another official. All three players are banned from interscholastic competition.

The players also were expelled from school for the rest of the fall semester but will be allowed to enroll in independent study programs in the spring. Warren has transferred to Antelope Valley Christian High.

“I planned on playing baseball at my new school,” Warren said. “I’m a little disappointed, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”