At the end of West Ranch’s 68-58 victory over Golden Valley, a skirmish occurred that involved a Golden Valley player, who was later arrested for battery.
According to the Signal and several reports, the player attacked a West Ranch student following the game and left lacerations on his face. Police were then called and the player was arrested upon returning to Golden Valley. The student in question had transferred from West Ranch to Golden Valley and had been taunted throughout the game.
One report – yet to be confirmed – said that the West Ranch student instigated the attack by approaching the Golden Valley player and striking him.
As details emerge, there are still questions to be answered. What did the student section actually say to the student? Was the student indeed directly provoked in the attack? Why were the police called for a simple fight and why was the student even arrested instead of being dealt with by Golden Valley administration.
It will be easy to say that athletes should not attack fans but it’s also important to address fan decorum at games. This past week I heard two student sections deliver chants that I found personally offensive in regards to Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall across the Mexican border and a student’s intelligence. While there is a time to be clever, some things can go over the top and schools need to make sure they keep their students in check.
Not to mention that when the games are over, people are milling on the court and in a hostile environment, anything can happen.
Crespi forces visiting fans/student sections to exit separate doors. Chaminade head coach Ryan Moore walked over to his student section to shut them up for something that was said. Administrators have typically done a good job regulating but now more action needs to be done.
It will be easy to say the student at Golden Valley should not have gone after another student and that is correct. Yet as more facts come out, we need to also ensure that student sections are better policed and regulated as well to prevent such altercations.
