Fight Ends 2 Polk Basketball Teams' Seasons

By SOLANGE REYNER

THE LEDGER

LAKELAND | The girls basketball season is over for Fort Meade and Lake Region.

 

Less than a week after a postgame fight between several girls from both teams erupted during the postgame handshake, administrators from both schools, along with officials from the School District, decided to call it quits on the remainder of both teams' seasons.

 

"Because of the conduct and kids not acting appropriately, we decided to end their season," said Fort Meade athletic director Archie Gale, who helped break up the fight. "It was unbecoming of what sportsmanship stands for."

 

The fight happened Jan. 13 at Fort Meade High School, which was hosting Lake Region in a non-district match-up that started at 7:30 p.m. There are varying accounts of what took place, and police are still conducting interviews to determine whether charges will be filed, said Donna Wood, a Polk County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

 

Fort Meade's administration also is reviewing security camera footage of the postgame altercation, Gale said.

 

Wood said that an incident report was filed by deputies on the scene but that no arrests were made.

 

There were reports that some Fort Meade fans, upon leaving their seats once the fight started, hit a Lake Region player while she was trying to defend, he coach said.

 

"I saw both teams line up with the officials at the scorer's table. Next thing I saw arms and hands swinging," said Lisa Skipper, whose daughter Vidonica, plays for Lake Region.

 

"Then I noticed Fort Meade's entire fans — an enormous amount of people flooding the gymnasium floor swinging."

 

Added Mike Cope, Lake Region's coach: "It was a big mess down there. Some parents from Fort Meade hit some of the Lake Region kids. I was in the middle of it trying to break it up."

 

Wood could not confirm that report, only saying that the investigation was ongoing.

 

Cope said the fight started when a Fort Meade player punched one of his girls in the face during the handshake.

 

"We were lining up to shake hands, and she punched one of my girls — a freshman," said Cope. "That's the same way the head official saw it, too, and the way she wrote it up."

 

The Ledger asked for the incident report from the district office but did not receive it upon time of publication.

 

Corey Sobers, a spokesman for the Florida High School Athletic Association, Florida's governing body for high school sports, also said he had not seen any paperwork related to the matter even though the FHSAA is supposed to receive written notice from officials within 24 hours if "(1) An athlete or coach is ejected for any reason from a contest," or "(2) An athlete or coach is guilty of a flagrant act and/or unsporting conduct before, during or after a contest for which he/she is not ejected."

 

"I have inquired about the situation and seen no paperwork to this point," Sobers said. "I can only go based on the information I've been provided."

 

Two Lake Region parents say the game was chippy, a few hard fouls here and there, and that there was some "tripping and pushing on purpose" by Fort Meade players throughout.

 

"During the whole game they were being very aggressive," said Carla Burton, the mother of senior Yasmin Burton, who has played for Lake Region for four seasons.

 

"They've done it in the past, too."

 

When reached Wednesday night, Fort Meade head coach LaKisha Palmore said she could not confirm that one of her players started the fight.

 

"I was at the back of the line, so I don't know," said Palmore, who was 10-7 (4-3 in 3A-7) in her first year coaching the team.

 

Cope said two of his players were involved in the fight, along with a junior varsity player and a statistician. He said he's upset that the entire team is being punished considering eight members of the team did not throw down.

 

Lake Region was 8-11 and 4-5 in 7A-7.

 

"They can't even finish the season, and we were on the verge of having the best basketball season in school history," Cope said. "The girls are upset, and the parents are upset, but I have to do what the administration tells me to do."

 

 

 

[ Solange Reyner can be reached at 863-802-7526 or solange.reyner@theledger.com. ]