TSSAA issues punishments after fight at Lenoir City - Fulton girls’ basketball game
Fans and players rushed the court and were restrained by officers after a foul with 2:30 remaining in the game
The game was held at Austin-East Magnet High School as a neutral site for the playoff game. With 2:30 left, sophomore player for Lenoir City Taylor Hafner made an and-one layup, and immediately after, a fight broke out between her and a player for Fulton.
According to a TSSAA report Taylor Hafner, along with three Fulton players were ejected from the game and all of the fans were asked to leave the gym while both teams finished the game.
“I think it’s any parent’s worst nightmare to see their child getting involved in any fight,” said Taylor’s mom Sarah Hafner. “She sort of came back around and let out a big ‘argh’ and then came head to head with the girl that was guarding her.”
The TSSAA released their findings after the incident Wednesday, sending letters to Lenoir City and Fulton High Schools.
In the letter sent to Lenoir City, the TSSAA said they would levy a probation on the basketball team through the end of the 2023-2024 school year. With that probation will come a $500 fine.
In Fulton’s letter, the TSSAA issued a longer probation, through the end of the 2024-2025 school year. That probation comes with a $1,000 fine.
Additionally, both school submitted planned disciplinary action of their own.
Lenoir City said they plan to ban the fans who were on the floor from the next two games. Fulton said they plan to issue more punishments, stating they would levy a two-game suspension in addition to the mandatory two-game suspension for the players involved in the fight. Additionally, Fulton plans to ban a parent who entered the floor from all the remaining games of the season.
WVLT News reached out to the Fulton Athletic Director as well as multiple parents in attendance from Fulton High School for comment, but they have not responded.
Fans and players rushed the court and were restrained by officers after a foul with 2:30 remaining in the game.
With 2:30 left, sophomore player for Lenoir City Taylor Hafner made an and-one layup, and immediately after, a fight broke out between her and a player for Fulton.
According to a TSSAA report Taylor Hafner, along with three Fulton players were ejected from the game and all of the fans were asked to leave the gym while both teams finished the game. “I think it’s any parent’s worst nightmare to see their child getting involved in any fight,” said Taylor’s mom Sarah Hafner.
The TSSAA hasn’t released their findings on what exactly led up to punches being thrown and officers having to restrain parents and players. “She sort of came back around and let out a big ‘argh’ and then came head to head with the girl that was guarding her,” said Sarah Hafner as she described what happened from her perspective before the fight began.
WVLT News reached out to the Fulton Athletic Director as well as multiple parents in attendance from Fulton High School for comment, but they have not responded.
The game was held at Austin-East High School as a neutral site for the playoff game.
TSSAA has not released its decision on any suspensions or punishments from the fight at this time.
According to an official report from the TSSAA, the governing body of Tennessee high school sports, a fight between two players began when a Lenoir City player was fouled while shooting a layup.
Fans came onto the floor from the Fulton side and then from the Lenoir City side, according to the report. The altercation resulted in the ejection of three Fulton players and one from Lenoir City.
The athletic directors of both schools along with the referees made the decision to remove all fans from the gym at Austin-East High School, where the game was held, for the remainder of the game.
The game resumed with 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Lenoir City shot free throws and was awarded the ball at mid-court. Fulton won the game 45-41.
By TSSAA rules, ejected players must serve a two-game suspension before returning to play. Both teams advanced to the Class 3A Regional Tournament, which will begin on Friday.