Officials Back Continuation of Ventura All-Star Football Game but Call for Changes

Although a vicious brawl prematurely ended the Ventura County Lions & Coaches all-star football game Saturday, most officials appear to want the game to go on, albeit with changes.

A meeting among organizers, coaches, and officials later this week or early next week will determine the fate of the 17-year-old contest for high school seniors.

“We want the game to continue, but we need to get to the root as to why this thing got out of hand,” said Norman McDaniel, chairman of the game’s organizing committee.

Chaos erupted at Thousand Oaks High with 2 minutes 40 seconds left in the third quarter and the East all-stars leading, 21-6. Several fights erupted among players on the field, and officials halted the contest when West players could not be restrained by officials and four security guards.

Three Ventura County Sheriff’s Department vehicles were dispatched to the field, and each team was escorted by police as it left the parking lot.

“Absolutely tragic,” West Coach John Reardon said.

Moments before the brawl, West quarterback Johnel Turner of Oxnard High, standing on the West sideline, threw water on East players after a tackle near the West sideline.

“The water incident capped it off,” Reardon said. “I’m not going to name any names, but our side did more to instigate things than theirs.”

Although the brawl has spurred talk of terminating the series, few are in favor of taking such a step.

“I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t continue,” McDaniel said. “We had one unfortunate incident, and it’s our first one in 17 years.”

Many, however, feel that improvements must be made.

“It needs to be better organized, and they need to go with more of a concept of sportsmanship,” Reardon said.

McDaniel and East Coach Curtis Garner criticized the officiating crew for allowing unnecessary contact and taunting, thus allowing the situation to escalate. Four penalties were called in the game, including one personal foul.

“I think this is something the officiating crew needs to deal with because there could have been some players kicked out earlier,” Garner said after the game.

Reardon said officials probably are reluctant to eject a player from an all-star contest. While acknowledging that officials are volunteers, he refused to blame them.

Rather, Reardon felt other aspects played a larger role in the brawl.

“A lot of things could have been organized better,” he said.

Reardon cited an unmanageable number of players on the West roster and too many late changes on both teams’ rosters.

“There are just too many people on the roster,” he said. The West had 34 players, the East 32.

Reardon also criticized the timing of the event, which follows graduation ceremonies. Some players were vacationing and did not compete.

And those who did play face little, if any, disciplinary action because they no longer answer to administrators at their respective high schools, Reardon said.