Seven players were suspended after a fight on the court Monday night interrupted a girls basketball game between Canton McKinley and St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron.
A scuffle between multiple players from each team under a basket happened after a foul was called on a McKinley player with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter as host STVM led 35-15.
Players initially pushed and shoved each other before a few punches were thrown. The fight carried into folded up bleacher seating by the baseline closest to STVM’s bench area, and one of the three referees was knocked off his feet and onto the court as he tried to de-escalate the altercation.
Coaches and players rushed toward the fight and tried to separate the players who were tangled up, and about a dozen spectators came onto the court as refs blew their whistles in an attempt to restore order.
Cooler heads prevailed as STVM and McKinley finished the game, with the Irish winning 67-32.
STVM played the final 14:36 of the game with three players and McKinley finished the game with five players — and the Irish still outscored the Bulldogs 32-17 during that stretch.
McKinley athletic director Joe Bogdan and STVM athletic director Kyle Sasala confirmed Thursday to the Akron Beacon Journal that the referees from the game filed a report to the Ohio High School Athletic Association regarding the game and the fight.
Athletic directors Kyle Sasala, Joe Bogdan reacts to girls basketball fight involving St. Vincent-St. Mary, Canton McKinley
Sasala said the fight started after a McKinley player was whistled for an “off-the-ball hard foul” on a STVM player.
“The game was fine,” Sasala said. “It was a good game. There was not any chippiness or any hard fouls. It was a normal game basically, and then obviously one play escalated pretty quickly and it went downhill from there. Obviously, we don’t condone fighting at all at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, and we have addressed that with the individuals that were fighting.
“There was not anything leading up to it. It was kind of a fluke play and there was some high emotions and things got a little bit out of hand.”
Bogdan said three McKinley players were suspended two games apiece for leaving the bench area and two McKinley players were suspended four games apiece for fighting.
“One of our girls pushed one of their girls in the back, is what the report said, and then one of their girls tried to hit one of our girls, and then that is when it all escalated,” Bogdan said. “The referees all said that there was no indication of any brewing animosity during the game. Everything was going well.”
Sasala said two STVM players were suspended four games apiece for fighting. He said additional STVM players were ejected from the game, but the ejections were rescinded upon refs reviewing the video and those players were not suspended.
“We ended the game 3 v. 5,” Sasala said. “Initially, five of our players at the time were ejected for leaving the bench. … The situation was very odd where it was hard for the officials to see exactly who was on the bench and who wasn’t because there was a bunch of people everywhere.
“Subsequently, they just decided it was going to be three versus five. I am not sure how they came to that decision, but it was 3 v. 5. After watching the video and going through the plays again, at the end of the day, we only had two that were suspended.”
Bogdan and Sasala said they were pleased with how McKinley coach Ryan Gracia and STVM coach Carley Whitney were able to get their respective teams to calm down and refocus. Bogdan has talked with Gracia and his staff and Sasala has talked with Whitney and her staff.
“We de-escalated the situation as best as we could,” Sasala said. “It took a little bit of time. Obviously, we wanted to make sure the fans were under control, make sure the student-athletes were safe and the environment was safe to continue to play. We got everybody calmed down.
“Like I said, it took a little bit of time. I worked with the officials pretty closely and we came to an agreement that we would continue the game, and we did and then we went on our way.”
St. Vincent-St. Mary wins girls basketball game with three players on court
Sasala said the three STVM players who played the final 14:36 of the game against McKinley were Kendal Batchik, Melania Cornute and Tatum Smith. Batchik scored 26 points, Cornute contributed 19 points and Smith had 16 points.
“The coaches for McKinley were very respectful and for the most part the kids were, too,” Sasala said. “I don’t see a problem with continuing that relationship with McKinley because we play them in other sports and we have never really had an issue with them prior.”
Sasala said STVM’s two suspended players started serving their suspensions Wednesday night in a game the Irish won 59-32 over Youngstown Ursuline.
“We don’t condone fighting,” Sasala said. “We are a very respectful institution where we have very high morals and character. Obviously, that is not what we want to happen, clearly, and that is not a representation of our school, of our girls basketball program or of the individuals that were suspended.
“… It was a heat of the moment action that just got the best of them. They have definitely learned from this.”
Bogdan said McKinley’s five suspended players started serving their suspensions Wednesday night in a game Green won 64-46.
“There are a lot of young players on the team and it is early in the season, so we are reminding them that you not allowed to go on that playing surface when things happen,” Bogdan said. “People get emotional, things get heated and you want to defend your teammates, but you have to stay on the bench. Had they done that, I think we would have only had one ejection.”
Mya Taylor paced McKinley with 18 points against STVM and Ka’Myah Gisentaner scored seven points.
“Their administration did a really nice job communicating with us and our coaches communicated with each other,” Bogdan said. “It is one of those unfortunate situations that everybody can learn and grow from and use it as a teachable moment for the kids.
“… Everybody was caught off guard by it and it was one of those unfortunate things. Absolutely no ill will at all.”
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.
