NOTEBOOK : Bell Players Reprimanded for Kicking Opponent

Five Bell High football players have been reprimanded for a kicking incident during the Eagles’ City Section 3-A Division quarterfinal game against Chatsworth.

School officials declared three juniors involved in the Nov. 25 incident ineligible to play in Bell’s first game of the 1993 season.

The Bell football program is also being evaluated and could be placed on probation. The City Rules Committee reviewed the incident at a special meeting Tuesday morning.

Bell principal Mel Mares and Chatsworth principal Donna Smith were interviewed by the committee. Bell athletic director Sue Kamiyama, who heads the committee, disqualified herself because of conflict of interest.

The committee will meet Feb. 25 to make a final decision, said City Commissioner Hal Harkness.

Chatsworth was leading top-seeded Bell, 31-6, with 6:06 remaining in the fourth quarter when the game was stopped because of continued violence between plays. The most egregious incident occurred when fallen Chatsworth linebacker Robert Webb was kicked in the groin by a Bell running back.

The Eagle running back, one of the three juniors, was suspended from school for two days and will not be allowed to compete in other varsity sports for the rest of the current school year.

The five Bell players involved were removed from consideration for Southeastern Conference and City Section 3-A Division honors by Bell Coach Ray Galarze.

“We feel that we had an opportunity to present our case,” Mares said. “I feel our actions are consistent with the infractions. We felt we acted in good faith and followed the rules.

“As far as I know, nothing has happened against the Chatsworth players.”

Chatsworth’s Smith could not be reached for comment.