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Two Narbonne players will play in title game despite ejections last week

Narbonne linebacker Mark Iheanachor (0) gets to play Friday after being ejected last week.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
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When you get two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a high school football game, you are suspended for the next game — unless the official rescinds the call.

On Tuesday, it was learned the officials refused to rescind two celebration penalties called against Edison running back Julius Gillick last week after he scored six touchdowns against Vista Murrieta, making him ineligible to play against Simi Valley on Friday in the Southern Section Division 3 final. One penalty was for spinning a football in the end zone and another for coming onto the field late in the game without a helmet to celebrate a play by the backup running back.

In the City Section, two Narbonne players who were ejected last week after penalties will be able to play Friday in the Open Division final against San Pedro. Before that game, the referee told players that everyone had received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — which he later said stemmed from concerning behavior he observed before the game — meaning a second would get them ejected.

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Linebacker Mark Iheanachor and lineman Mathayus Moe received penalties and were ejected from Narbonne’s win against Birmingham, but the referee never filed an ejection report with the City Section, clearing them to play Friday. The official indicated he did not want to prevent them from playing. Another Narbonne player who was ejected, Domo Phillips, won’t be able to play Friday for using profanity because a report was filed.

Moe said Tuesday he was grateful for the second chance to play. Asked for any lesson learned, he said, “To keep my composure and stay calm at all times.”

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