Referee Who Was Hit Seeks Player’s Apology : Prep football: Smotrys says he is willing to drop legal action if Simmons admits wrongdoing and retracts accusation of racial slurs.

Ken Smotrys, a high school football referee who was punched by a player from Compton Centennial during a game at Beverly Hills on Oct. 20, said Friday that he will not pursue legal action if his assailant offers a public apology and admits that he was wrong in the assault.

In a prepared statement, Smotrys also requested that the player, 16-year-old Kumasi Simmons, deny ever hearing the referee use racial epithets during the game.

Through his attorney, Leo Terrell, Simmons has said that he hit Smotrys because the referee uttered a racial epithet at him. According to Terrell, another Centennial player, Vincent Brooks, was similarly insulted and shoved by Smotrys during the game.

Smotrys, who has been suspended from officiating while the matter is being investigated by the CIF Southern Section, has denied the charges. In Friday’s statement he said it’s time to put the matter to rest.

“If Simmons is willing to accept responsibility for making a serious mistake, I am willing to rise above the incident and put it all behind us,” Smotrys said.

Terrell wasn’t available for comment regarding the statement, but earlier Friday had said he was considering legal action against Smotrys on behalf of Simmons and Brooks.

Simmons is scheduled to meet with the Beverly Hills Police Department Monday for a hearing on the charge of simple battery against Smotrys.

In another development, Centennial Coach Omar Bradley denied allegations that he had instructed his players to say they had heard Smotrys using racial epithets during the game.

“I’ve watched the focus of this story shift from the players, to Smotrys and now to me,” Bradley said. “I’ve only reported what my players told me they heard and nothing else.”