Fontana Suspends 13 Players Following Incident at Pierce

Thirteen Fontana High football players on Wednesday were suspended from school for five days, four of them face possible expulsion and an undetermined number may face criminal prosecution stemming from a violent incident after a playoff game against Loyola last Friday.

The incident occurred during the postgame handshake after Loyola’s 28-7 victory in the first round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs at Pierce College.

The flash-point of the incident occurred when a Fontana player, identified by Fontana Coach Bob Stangel as senior defensive back Corey Lawson, punched a Loyola assistant coach.

Names of the suspended players were not released by Fontana administrators.

Bill Thomason, Loyola’s principal, said one Loyola student, who is not a member of the team, was disciplined for his involvement.

Several Fontana players have alleged that a Loyola assistant coach was using disparaging racial terms during the game. Loyola officials deny the allegation.

A criminal investigation of the incident is ongoing and charges could be filed next week, said Lt. Ted Barnes of the Los Angeles Community College District police.

“We still have a lot of [videotape] footage to review,” Barnes said.

Jim Staunton, commissioner of the Southern Section, said the policy of the organization is to let schools handle disciplinary action unless the section deems the school’s response inadequate.