Coach, 8 Players Suspended For Fight At Game

MONROE, La. (AP) _ Wossman head football coach Vince Landrum and eight Wossman players were suspended from school following a sideline-clearing brawl Friday night during the Wildcats' game against

Tuesday, October 30th 2007, 7:48 am

By: News On 6

MONROE, La. (AP) _ Wossman head football coach Vince Landrum and eight Wossman players were suspended from school following a sideline-clearing brawl Friday night during the Wildcats' game against Rayville.

Wossman principal Sam Moore III confirmed Monday he suspended Landrum and the players from school this week because of the fight. The Louisiana High School Athletic Association is investigating.

Moore was on the Wossman sidelines when the brawl broke out. Moore said he based the suspension on what he witnessed and his reviews of game film. He would not say which players had been suspended.

``No one is as hurt as I am to do this because those kinds of instances are not what we are about here at Wossman.'' Moore said. ``I went by the Monroe City Schools policies and took the disciplinary actions I thought were necessary.''

Moore said the suspensions would take effect this school week. The suspensions do not keep the players from playing Friday. And Moore said it would be up to the LHSAA to decide whether Landrum can coach the Wildcats' regular season finale against Green Oaks on Friday.

``I have not suspended him from coaching Friday. If the LHSAA makes a ruling, that's their decision. I strictly went by the Monroe City School board guidelines,'' Moore said.

The fight broke out with 3:26 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Friday's game in Rayville, with the home team leading Wossman 42-20. An altercation between two players escalated into a melee. Officials decided to run the remaining time off the clock, ending the game.