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High school football fight between Inlet Grove, Clewiston under investigation

Florida High School Athletic Association looking into fight
Posted at 7:11 PM, Oct 25, 2023
and last updated 2023-10-25 19:11:43-04

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Fallout continues from a fight between high school football players at a game that took place in Palm Beach County last week.

The incident involved a varsity football game between Inlet Grove High School in Riviera Beach and visiting Clewiston High School.

It's unclear what prompted the fight, but the teams didn't play a full four quarters before fists started flying.

Brawl cuts Clewiston, Inlet Grove football game short

Living across the street from the Inlet Grove High School football field, neighbors said the neighborhood is pretty quiet. There's plenty of cheering on game night but typically no fights.

That wasn't the case last Friday after an on-the-field incident involving the Hurricanes and Tigers.

Days later students are still talking about it.

"My friend called. She was like, 'Oh Patrick, they just got done fighting,'" Patrick Flowers, a junior, said. "She sent me a video. I started laughing. I was like, 'Dang.'"

Parents said there is nothing funny about what happened on the playing field.

"Things happen, kids are kids," one parent said. "They get angry, bad sportsmanship. It just is what it is."

The Hendry County School District superintendent and Clewiston principal issued a joint statement on the incident saying it does not reflect their standards and added that the Florida High School Athletic Association has suspended the football team indefinitely pending the outcome of their investigation.

"That is embarrassing to fight when you're supposed to be playing football," Flowers said. "[It] shows how much anger management they got."

Inlet Grove administrators said the fight is under investigation, and this Friday's game that was scheduled against the King's Academy will be forfeited.