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Gaithersburg High School Principal Cary Dimmick and Northwest High School Principal Scott Smith sent out a joint letter on Saturday, Sept. 17 announcing that the football programs at both schools will be suspended amid the investigation into the violent fight.
“This disrespectful and dangerous behavior is not what we model and communicate to our students and must not be tolerated,” they wrote. “Fighting, and causing physical and emotional injury, is in no way an appropriate way to solve conflict.”
The fight started late in the third quarter between two players and quickly escalated to include other players and coaches, forcing the refs to disqualify both teams in a double-forfeit.
Officials said that after both teams were ushered out of the stadium, a number of people, including students, continued the fight in the parking lot and were arrested for refusing police orders to disperse and in some cases, physically struggling with officers and security.
“This was a dangerous situation and we will work with our central office partners to swiftly develop plans to enhance safety and ensure over at future school athletic events,” the principals said.
“We ask all involved or who witnessed this event to consider what could have happened had our police partners, security personnel, and school staff not acted so quickly to de-escalate the incident.”
Moving forward, the principals said that they will conduct a thorough investigation and disciplinary actions will be taken against any student or adult who was found to have participated in the melee.
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