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An Arizona high school senior was penalized last Friday after he scored a touchdown.
Peoria receiver Cameron Torres made a contested catch down the sideline and ran past his fallen defender to the end zone where the official at the goal line threw a yellow flag before putting his hands in the air to signal touchdown.
High school football player banned from homecoming game
Torres was ejected from the game against Goodyear Desert Edge and will be suspended for Peoria’s homecoming game because it was his second unsportsmanlike penalty of the game.
Here’s the play in question.
High-stepping the culprit?
The official flagged Torres because he … well, we can’t quite figure out what offended the referee’s sensibilities. High-stepping is a popular theory in the growing controversy that’s making news in the Phoenix suburb.
We’re not sure what we saw qualifies as high-stepping. Deion Sanders would surely scoff at the idea. And even if it was high-stepping, would that warrant a flag that led to an ejection and a suspension for a player’s last homecoming game?
Torres’ coach doesn’t understand suspension
Peoria head coach Will Babb certainly doesn’t think so. Babb told the Arizona Republic that he didn’t understand why Torres was flagged for the play.
“I am really perplexed, because I am still not sure what he did wrong,” Babb said. “He did have high knees, but there is no rule against high knees. He scored, ran to the back of the end zone and celebrated with his teammates. I didn’t see it as taunting.”
Babb took a calm, diplomatic approach in suggesting that league officials consider overturning the call and allow Torres to play in his homecoming game.
“My only concern would be if those evaluating this situation believe he shouldn’t have been ejected, but don’t overturn the suspension,” Babb said. “Many times the politics of a situation won’t allow us to do what’s right, even when we know it’s right. I don’t blame anyone. I just think a mistake was made. We all make mistakes, but we all don’t get the chance to correct them and we should when opportunity presents itself.”
Officials have the chance to do the right thing
We’re not constrained by the same decorum expected of a high school football coach acting as a role model for teenagers. So we’ll take a more straightforward approach where Babb can’t.
That was a terrible call. The official who threw the flag should feel ashamed of abusing his power. Any decision that doesn’t result in Torres’ suspension being lifted is a stubborn, wrong decision.
Babb has appealed to the Arizona Interscholastic Association for feedback, according to The Republic. The school has not heard back.
Officials head seems focused on covering his referee
But head of AIA officials Brian Gessner spoke with The Republic, and he sounds more concerned with protecting his own than doing the right thing for a high school student.
“I will tell you this, nobody works harder than these football officials,” Gessner said. “They are in the rule book, looking at video. They work hard at their vocation. It’s a judgment call. I’m not going to overrule judgment calls. This is a championship crew. I’m not going to comment on their judgment.”
Their judgment was wrong. And if AIA officials can’t look at that video and correct their mistakes, maybe they shouldn’t be in the judgment business to begin with.
Peoria receiver Cameron Torres made a contested catch down the sideline and ran past his fallen defender to the end zone where the official at the goal line threw a yellow flag before putting his hands in the air to signal touchdown.
High school football player banned from homecoming game
Torres was ejected from the game against Goodyear Desert Edge and will be suspended for Peoria’s homecoming game because it was his second unsportsmanlike penalty of the game.
Here’s the play in question.
High-stepping the culprit?
The official flagged Torres because he … well, we can’t quite figure out what offended the referee’s sensibilities. High-stepping is a popular theory in the growing controversy that’s making news in the Phoenix suburb.
We’re not sure what we saw qualifies as high-stepping. Deion Sanders would surely scoff at the idea. And even if it was high-stepping, would that warrant a flag that led to an ejection and a suspension for a player’s last homecoming game?
Torres’ coach doesn’t understand suspension
Peoria head coach Will Babb certainly doesn’t think so. Babb told the Arizona Republic that he didn’t understand why Torres was flagged for the play.
“I am really perplexed, because I am still not sure what he did wrong,” Babb said. “He did have high knees, but there is no rule against high knees. He scored, ran to the back of the end zone and celebrated with his teammates. I didn’t see it as taunting.”
Babb took a calm, diplomatic approach in suggesting that league officials consider overturning the call and allow Torres to play in his homecoming game.
“My only concern would be if those evaluating this situation believe he shouldn’t have been ejected, but don’t overturn the suspension,” Babb said. “Many times the politics of a situation won’t allow us to do what’s right, even when we know it’s right. I don’t blame anyone. I just think a mistake was made. We all make mistakes, but we all don’t get the chance to correct them and we should when opportunity presents itself.”
Officials have the chance to do the right thing
We’re not constrained by the same decorum expected of a high school football coach acting as a role model for teenagers. So we’ll take a more straightforward approach where Babb can’t.
That was a terrible call. The official who threw the flag should feel ashamed of abusing his power. Any decision that doesn’t result in Torres’ suspension being lifted is a stubborn, wrong decision.
Babb has appealed to the Arizona Interscholastic Association for feedback, according to The Republic. The school has not heard back.
Officials head seems focused on covering his referee
But head of AIA officials Brian Gessner spoke with The Republic, and he sounds more concerned with protecting his own than doing the right thing for a high school student.
“I will tell you this, nobody works harder than these football officials,” Gessner said. “They are in the rule book, looking at video. They work hard at their vocation. It’s a judgment call. I’m not going to overrule judgment calls. This is a championship crew. I’m not going to comment on their judgment.”
Their judgment was wrong. And if AIA officials can’t look at that video and correct their mistakes, maybe they shouldn’t be in the judgment business to begin with.
