MAURICE, La. (103.3. The GOAT) - The post-game handshake, usually a gesture of sportsmanship, erupted into chaos at midfield in North Vermilion Friday night.

A hard-fought high school football game between the North Vermilion Patriots and the Comeaux Spartans turned sour on Friday night when a post-game handshake erupted into violence, leaving two North Vermilion players injured.

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The Patriots had just secured a 36-29 victory in front of their homecoming crowd, but celebrations were cut short as tensions boiled over at midfield.

As is customary after games, both teams lined up for the traditional handshake. However, something went awry during the exchange, sparking a series of brawls between players from North Vermilion and Comeaux. What began as a routine gesture of sportsmanship quickly devolved into chaos, with fists flying and players from both sides caught up in the melee.

Sheriff's deputies, along with coaches and staff from both schools, rushed in to break up the altercations. Even Vermilion Parish Superintendent Tommy Byler was on the field, helping to restore order as emotions flared. Despite the best efforts of officials, the skirmishes continued for several tense moments before the teams were separated.

After the dust settled, North Vermilion players were escorted to the gym, while the Comeaux team was taken directly to their buses. However, the aftermath left two North Vermilion players injured. One player had to be transported to a hospital, and another was evaluated on-site by paramedics.

The condition of the hospitalized player remains unknown as of Friday night.

Superintendent Byler refrained from making any assumptions about the cause of the incident. He assured that school officials would thoroughly review game footage to determine what triggered the violence. The findings will be submitted to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) for further review and potential disciplinary action.

 

Head coach Rod Moy of North Vermilion expressed disappointment over the incident, which overshadowed his team's homecoming win. What should have been a night of celebration for the Patriots, who fought hard to overcome a tough Comeaux team, ended in confusion and concern as two of his players were left injured.

“I can tell you this: Our kids did not throw the first punch,” Moy told The Abbeville Meridional as his team was leaving the field. “For someone who always loses, they had a hard time taking a loss. They thought they were better than us. They came over here, and we were tougher and beat them. They could not take it.”

A Comeaux fan, however, saw it differently, posting his take on Facebook.

All I can say is how CLASSLESS of North Vermillion high school football players and parents!!
At the end of the game today, that Comeaux lost by 6 points, their kids were whipping the Comeaux kids with a belt when they shook hands in the middle of the field. There were others videoing it and making tik toks about it!! Ofc there was a brawl between the teams. The parents of course had the side of their kids but the parents were also very ugly earlier in the week for Comeauxs volleyball game. It’s just sad how they have poor sports like this!! The police was even being ugly to us and cussing out one of our parents and pushing her out the way!! Someone was already on the phone with the superintendent but we know this used to be his area before he became superintendent so we’ll see how this goes if he’s biased towards his school district! My guess, of course, is that Comeaux will get the shaft once again!!

According to an assistant coach from Comeaux, speaking to The Meridional, the fights may have been instigated by a North Vermilion player who was not suited up for the game.

The player was allegedly waving a towel during the handshake line, and the towel reportedly brushed against a Comeaux player. This small action allegedly provoked the Comeaux player, leading to the initial confrontation, which quickly escalated into a series of fights near the North Vermilion sideline.

North Vermilion’s victory was marked by gutsy decisions on the field, including three fourth-down conversions that played a pivotal role in their success. However, that achievement was unfortunately clouded by the events that transpired after the final whistle.

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The investigation into the brawl is ongoing, with both schools working closely with local authorities and the LHSAA to determine what penalties, if any, will be levied against the teams and players involved.

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Gallery Credit: Joe Cunningham