Alabama High Schools Ordered to Suspend Football Programs After Massive Brawl

Two high schools in Alabama are suspending their football programs after their respective teams engaged in a brawl during a game last week, local CBS affiliate WTVY reported.

Pike County High School and Headland High School were ordered to suspend the programs by the Alabama High School Athletic Association after police got involved in the brawl during the second quarter of a football game on Friday night. 

The game took place in Brundige, a city in Pike County about an hour southeast of Montgomery.

Video footage taken during the game shows the football players tackling one another in full gear as coaches blow their whistles and rush to the scene to break up the fight. 

Local news outlet AL.com reported that the fight appeared to have broken out after a Headland player tackled a Pike County receiver, who collapsed to the ground. Pike County players protested and said the hit from Headland had been too hard, prompting the fight to break out. 

On the webpage for Pike County’s athletic division, an announcement reads: “Due to the unfortunate events that occurred on Friday night — all football operations at Pike Co High School are suspended.”

The order came from the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the organization that regulates and oversees interscholastic sports in the state.