Brawl mars Lake City’s upset win over Wilson
ANGELA E. KERSHNER/MORNING NEWS
Lake City’s Stevenson Gatson (12) breaks a tackle by Wilson defensive back Devarius Wheeler, bottom, and slips past linebacker Craig Brown on Thursday at Memorial Stadium. Lake City won 19-12.
Published: August 29, 2008
Updated: September 2, 2008
FLORENCE — Wilson’s first game since winning the state championship last season had an ugly ending as the Tigers and Lake City brawled on the field as soon as the clock ran out Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Panthers ended the game by kneeling on the ball to seal a 19-12 win, but before Lake City even had time to celebrate, nearly every player from both teams was on the field fighting.
JOINT STATEMENT
Florence School Districts 1 and 3 Friday morning released this statement on the incident:
District officials with Florence School District One and Florence County School District Three are cooperating with law enforcement and the South Carolina High School League in their investigation into an altercation between football players from Wilson High School and Lake City High School at the conclusion of a game between the two teams on Thursday, August 28.
Both districts are conducting their own investigation to determine which players were responsible for starting and escalating the altercation. Any players found to be involved in the altercation will face disciplinary action pursuant to their respective district’s student behavior code.
“We both (Beth Wright, Florence Three Superintendent and I) are saddened by the actions demonstrated by players on both teams,” said Florence School District One Superintendent Larry Jackson. “We do not condone unsportsmanlike conduct at our athletic events, and we want everyone to be aware that it will not be tolerated.”
ADDITIONAL CONTENT
The Wilson Tigers take on the Lake City Panthers at Memorial Stadium in Florence on Thursday, August 28, 2008. Click here to view images from this game.
At least one player from each team was detained and handcuffed by Florence County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
The fight happened shortly after Panthers’ defensive end Donquill McElveen lay motionless on the field for about 15 minutes before being carted off by paramedics.
Lake City offensive line coach Brandon Shealy, the only coach from either team who would comment after the game, said McElveen was taken to a local hospital after suffering a bruised back.
McElveen’s injury happened on a play in which Wilson quarterback Maliek McCall threw a 14-yard pass to Caleb Davis, but McElveen was at least 20 yards behind where the play ended. Shealy said McElveen was “speared in the back with a helmet.”
“There was no call (from the officials), but hey, that’s fine,” Shealy said. “He’s OK. That’s the most important thing.”
Play resumed with 5:41 left in the game, but Wilson could not mount a comeback.
Shealy said the fight was not an act of retaliation for McElveen’s injury, rather it was the result of two former region rivals meeting in Week One.
“No, not at all,” he said about retaliation being a factor. “This is an all-time rivalry right here.”
Several players sucker-punched others who were on the ground, and some used their helmets to beat opposing players. Coaches, game officials and deputies broke the brawl up after nearly five minutes of fighting.
No players were injured, but one coach was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries, Lt. Brett Camp told WBTW.
Deputies were told some of the Wilson players were upset about the loss, which led to some of those players spitting on Lake City players and throwing their helmets at them, Camp said.
The sheriff’s office is investigating the incident, Camp said.
As for the game itself, Lake City took a 12-6 lead into the fourth quarter against the defending 3A state champions.
The Panthers extended that lead to 19-6 after tailback Jonathan Hudson scored on a 56-yard run with 8:34 left in the game.
Wilson made it a one-possession game with a 2-yard touchdown pass from McCall to John Israel with 4:45 left, but Lake City held off the Tigers.
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Reader Reactions
Go ahead and cancel the season for both teams and be done with it. Send a signal to every other team in the State, “you fight, you don’t play!“
This is why I do not go to Wilson games anymore….This type of behavior has happened off the field far too many times with no consequence what so ever. I know Coach Page and have a lot of respect for him and his staff. There will be a lot of talk , but we all know nothing will be done. The solicitor and/or high school league need to view game film and any player found paricipating in the brawl should be suspended for the ret of the season. period. This will send the approbrite message. Zero tolerance is the only course of action and if a player can’t live by this rule, then don’t play high school sports. For any of you enablers who want to try and justify these actions, shame on you!!!
This is devastating on such a historic night in American history!
For years Wilson has endured dealing with the offensive language and attitudes from opposing teams when on the field/court rather playing football, basketball, baseball, etc. Last night displayed what has been going on for years (since the 80’s) with teams surrounding the Wilson Community. Wilson has always had a very strong, well respected community with a very large nationwide fan base.
As parents in this unfair world what are we asking from our kids? We witnessed that most adults don’t know how to handle extreme situations! Last night several kids were provoked and put in a terrible situation that they should not have to be put in. Let children stay children! Whatever hostility has been brewing for 25+ years, the children have nothing to do with it. This is something the community has to dissolve. As a fellow Wilsonian I witnessed the very same disgruntle behavior almost every Friday in the fall for 4 years at Wilson then again during the spring for 4 years. Students at Wilson were taught by Mr. Allie Brooks to hold your head up even in trying times, he emphasized that this world is cruel enough (don’t go looking for trouble) and I truly believe that every student when they walk in the building on Old Marion Hwy. learns the old Wilson creed taught my the ever loving Mr. Brooks that is still being instilled in current students.
With all this said…let’s not make our children suffer and battle something that is an adult problem. Actions that were displayed on the field yesterday are adult problems that were created and have been brewing since before these kids were born! Adults step up and talk about the real problem, it’s not from a lost (b/c Wilson has lost there share of games). Be fair!
I was at the game last night, and the brawl started when one of Lake City’s players spit on one of Wilson’s players. The Wilson football team was on that side of the field because they were lining up to shake hands as always at the end of a game. Tell me how many of you would like it if someone spit in your face. Obviously the previous blog is from someone from Lake City. It appears that everyone is against Wilson because they had the talent to win a Basketball and Football championship in 2007. He did not see the Lake City Coach fighting the Wilson football players or is this how things are done in the city with no lake. What else can be expected from a city where many of the officials are either in jail or have been to jail. Now the rest of Florence County understands why the Lake City football team acts they way they do—look at their role models. Final answer.
Your comment is laughable, utterly laughable. Their is no doubt who started the fight because I saw it with MY two eyes. The wilson defense jumped the lake city offensive line as they were walking to the 50 yard line to shake hands. And you call lake city a willing participant…I find that pretty funny because I guess you would just want those kids to take a beating and not do anything. If you are an administrator then you are disgrace to the profession because it is your leadership skills that influences the wilson players on a daily basis. Now did some lake city players retaliate after defending themselves yes, but you are a bold face liar saying coaches from lake city were fighting. If you truely are an administrator at wilson then you put a dark cloud on the profession and are no better then the wilson players who started the brawl
wilson should be made to forfiet the rest of the season. iam a wilson grad class of 84,this kind of thug behavior would have never been allowed if mr.brooks was still in charge, but maybe ed robinson will get invovled,like he did the walmart fight and get everybody just a pat on the back.
If you are, indeed, an Administrator, and you did witness this conflict with your “two eyes,“ then be committed to your position and provide the readers with your full name and official title for purposes of verification.
Anonymous bold assertions from an unidentified author serve a useless purpose.
I do not know who posted the previous comment, but they obviously were not at the game or either turned a blind eye to what happened. I am an Administrator, and placing the blame does not give a reason nor justify what Lake City or Wilson did. The stories are conflicting and no matter who started it the other team was a “Willing Participant” and consequences need to be applied to them as well. Whoever is trying to justify that Lake City was defending themselves, that is a Lie, and they are trying to make sure that the sanctions given by the High School League do not apply to them. What kind of message are you sending to our “Children” with your type of mentality; it is obvious to see why some children act the way they do. Furthermore, to place the blame on the Wilson coaches sounds even more ludicrous than saying Lake City was defending themselves; what about the Lake City coaches who were fighting the Wilson players, and might I say I saw this with my 2 eyes, I guess they were defending themselves as well. There is an old adage; “People will not know how ignorant you are until you open your mouth.” Please stop making excuses for Lake City and let the chips fall where they may!
This article does not tell the true story. It makes it seem like both teams went out with preplanned intentions. Literally 5 seconds after the final kneel down after lake citys line had turned their back to wilsons entire defensive line jumped one player then their sideline cleared swinging helmets. Lake city did not incite nor actively engage, rather they defended themselves as wilson came all the way across the field to the lake city sideline. Several coaches from wilson were seen swinging and shoving lake city players to the ground instead of restraining their players. Utter disgrace. That coach from wilson obviously has no control over his kids if thats how they act because they were upset about losing. The worst apart about is lake city will most likely be suspended from the playoffs for defending themselves….wilson coaches and community should be ashamed
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