Banning Refuses to Play Dorsey at Jackie Robinson Stadium

Joe Dominguez, football coach at Wilmington Banning High, said Wednesday that his team will not show up for its Nov. 1 game against Dorsey at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Dominguez said he is concerned about the safety of his players and wants the district to move the game to a neutral site.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials met with administrators and coaches from both schools Tuesday and changed game time from 8 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

But Dominguez is not satisfied.

“The issue is not the time of the game, it’s the site of the game,” he said.

Dominguez made his remarks in response to a shooting that injured two students attending the Dorsey-Crenshaw game Oct. 4 at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Dominguez said he also is concerned about retaliation for an incident that occurred at the end of Banning’s 21-20 playoff victory over Dorsey last year in which Dorsey players and fans rushed across the field and confronted Banning players and fans.

Dick Browning, assistant superintendent of the district’s senior high division, said he will make an attempt to resolve differences with Banning officials, but if the team does not show up for the game it will lose by forfeit.

Dominguez, in his fourth year as coach, said his team voted unanimously Tuesday not to play the game unless it is moved. By 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dominguez said he had received 35 letters from parents informing him they would not allow their sons to play the game at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Browning assured Banning administrators that increased security would be provided, including 10 district police and at least three squad cars from the Los Angeles Police Dept.