FL team suspended from final 4

Following up on the previous article, here are the results.

Palm Beach Post's story for Wednesday's edition:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/s...s/epaper/2009/05/19/
a1a_trinity_0520.html

Brawl results in 16 suspensions as Trinity enters state tournament

By JASON LIESER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

FORT PIERCE — As rain poured outside the Fort Pierce Fairfield Inn, Trinity Christian baseball players turned the hotel lobby into a blissful, naïve haven.

At one table, four played dominoes while taking turns providing the commentary. A few feet from that group, three players hovered around a cellphone, pointing and playfully jabbing each other. The rest were playing hand-held video games or laughing at videos on YouTube.

"They don't know," said a school chaperone, shaking his head.

Trinity Christian's baseball team had yet to hear the bad news Athletic Director Fred Erdman was about to deliver. Coach Miguel Cuello walked into the lobby with a grim look on his face and said simply: "Guys, conference room."

What the players heard in that closed-door meeting knocked them speechless. Erdman said the Florida High School Athletic Association had suspended 16 of the 17 players on Trinity Christian's varsity roster, ruling them ineligible for today's Class 1A state semifinal game against Tampa-Cambridge at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie.

The players said nothing as they filed out of the conference room and back into the lobby. The dominoes game resumed, but it was distinctly quieter.

"It's a very somber mood," said Erdman, who instructed the players not to comment publicly. "They don't understand. The questions are, 'What did I do?' and 'Why can't I play?' "

To reach this round of the state playoffs, the Warriors beat Brito Miami Private in a best-of-three series Friday and Saturday. In the third inning of Friday's game, Brito's Daniel Bolanos delivered a hard blow with his body - and especially his elbow - to Trinity Christian catcher Phildrick Llewellyn on a play at the plate.

That collision sparked a fight that drew almost every player to the infield and delayed the game for 29 minutes while umpires sorted out ejections. Five players from each side were expelled.

The FHSAA has a standard two-game suspension for ejections, but can shorten or lengthen the penalty after review.

As the team practiced Tuesday, Erdman and Cuello hoped that at least three of the five players would be reinstated for today's game. At worst, they figured, all five would be forced to sit out the semifinal and then would be allowed to return for Thursday's state championship game if Trinity Christian won.

Denarvise Thornton, FHSAA associate executive director, sent Erdman a letter Monday stating that the entire team was "suspended indefinitely." But based on their conversations, Erdman did not expect that to become reality.

"I can accept a five-player suspension, but then under further review you decide to get everybody else?" Erdman said.

The review was based on the umpires' report and versions of the situation provided by Trinity Christian and Brito.

The team boarded a bus Tuesday morning and headed north from its Lake Worth campus, which serves pre-school through 12th grade. The players had a quick practice ruined by rain at Port St. Lucie High before returning to the Fairfield Inn.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Thornton informed Erdman that every player on the roster during the confrontation, except Llewellyn, was suspended at least two games for leaving their position in the field or dugout. The five ejected players - Jacob Johnson, Jonathan Groezinger, Adaric Kelly, Brandon Murray and Richard Bain - received four-game bans, of which one game was served Saturday against Brito.

Llewellyn was spared because the incident took place near his position and he spent most of the altercation on the ground, waiting for his head to stop spinning.

"It's brutal," Cuello said. "I was waiting to hear about five guys possibly. To me the whole thing makes no sense."

Thornton, through an FHSAA spokesperson, declined comment.

Technically, Trinity Christian is not disqualified from the state tournament. The Warriors have the option of lining up Llewellyn and 10 junior varsity players for today's game. The school would be required to pay the FHSAA $50 for each player it adds to the roster.

Erdman said Trinity Christian will show up at Tradition Field for its 5 p.m. game as scheduled, though he did not elaborate. Principal Cindy Ansell is declining comment, he said.

The next step could be in court, though no one associated with Trinity has said that is an option.

"court" ??????????

Wow, tough. Feel bad for the kids. Obviously never condone fighting but without being there and seeing how this kid barrled over catcher and reaction after--did he seem concerend? But tough to say even a grown mature man would not react in same manner. Seems like because there team won they are being punished more than other team. No win situation--Life isn't fair

Why is the kid who got trampled suspended?

they usually throw the net over everyone on the field

From what I've been reading elsewhere, all varsity players, except freshman catcher Phildrick Llewellyn, who was run over and "blacked out", were suspended. (Apparently, a touch of logic concluded he "did not leave his position" and, being unconscious, "did not participate in the altercation".)
I now understand that Trinity Christian (Lake Worth) filed for an injunction on the ruling and it was granted about 4:00pm. This will allow all but 2 of their players to participate in their 5:00pm game today. However, should they win, that victory could be vacated once the court hearing takes place.

Wow, wild story. Please keep us posted on the outcome of the game and the court ruling.

The story basically dies since Tampa's Cambridge HS has defeated Trinity Christian 12-6.
However, repercussions still may occur since the suspensions, if upheld, could carry over to those players next season.

Sounds as if I assumed the story died and any repercussions would occur next season.
I now read that the FHSAA held up the game in the third inning and had a 10 minute delay so they could talk to the Trinity coach and tell him that even if they did win, the FHSAA would appeal the ruling tomorrow. Sounds like the FHSAA means business. If the FHSAA wins the appeal, that's a possible $2,500 per ineligible player that had played today. And at 15 or so players, well, that's a HUGE $37,500 f-i-n-e.

I can't see how they can make the ineligible player thing stick after being granted the injunction.

Seriously, how can you suspend that many players? How many on the other team got suspended? Surely some of them had to leave the dugout so the defensive players had someone to punch... Fighting is dead wrong, don't confuse my comments, but you're only going to keep the unconscious kid in the game? Shouldn't the kid who ran him over be ejected and suspended?

A $2,500 per player fine? Who pays that? How many HS have that kind of coin laying around? What do they do if the school can't pay $37,500, put a lien on the football scoreboard? Sell all the text books? Sell tickets to next year's games at $100 each?

It'd take one heck of a bake sale. Everyone in the county would have to buy one of those $20 cards. Subway would go bankrupt redeeming them.

By FHSAA rules a player can't leave their postion and/or leave the dugout.
I think there was quite a few players on the other team that got suspended. They'll have to wait for next year to serve those games.
The school pays the fine and since their a private school, they have the money to pay. The fines they probably won't worry about (it probably cost that much money for one kids school year), it's the sanctions that they'll worry about, such as not being able to play in any post-season for 5 or 10 years for ANY sport at the school. Not just baseball.
Here's an article from the Tampa Tribune by Adam Adkins:

FHSAA, Trinity Christian Battle Far From Over

By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2009

PORT ST. LUCIE The fact that Lake Worth Trinity Christian's varsity baseball team took the field Wednesday night against Cambridge Christian in a Class 1A state semifinal certainly did not sit well with the state's governing body for high school athletics, and FHSAA executive director Dr. Roger Dearing let that be known during a meeting with a handful of media members from around the state during the game.

The FHSAA had issued on Tuesday what amounted to season-ending suspensions for 16 of the 17 players on Trinity Christian's varsity roster for the players' participation in a bench-clearing brawl last Friday during a Class 1A regional final series against Brito Miami Private. However, Trinity Christian filed an injunction in a St. Lucie court on Wednesday morning and a judge later ruled in favor of the school, allowing 14 of the players initially suspended to compete in Wednesday's game against the Lancers, who won 12-6 to advance to Thursday's 1A state title game against Deltona Trinity Christian.

"It's just unfortunate that we have a school, Trinity [Christian], which has decided instead of using our rules and our bylaws, which they are a member of, that they went to court to get an injunction even though they were in violation of good sportsmanship conduct," Dearing said. "I think the school has to do some soul searching, by the principal, the athletic director and the baseball coach, of what are we trying to teach kids. I don't think this is it."

The bench-clearing brawl occurred during Game 2 of the best-of-three series between Trinity Christian and Brito Miami Private. The incident was sparked after a collision at home between a Brito player and the Trinity Christian catcher. Ten players (five from each team) were immediately ejected after the brawl.

Dearing said the FHSAA received reports from all three umpires at the game outlining what happened. Those reports were corroborated by the baseball coach at Miami Southridge, who served as the adminstrator at the field after his school's field was leased for the game. Each report stated every fielder on the Trinity Christian team left his position on the field to partake in the melee, and every player on the bench spilled out onto the field as well. No video of the incident was available, Dearing said.

On Tuesday, the FHSAA handed down its decision. Five players from Trinity Christian were issued four-game suspensions. Eleven others were issued two-game suspensions. The only player not suspended was the team's catcher, who was involved in the collision at home. A judge overturned the ruling a few hours before Wednesday's game, though without reviewing the FHSAA's response, Dearing said.

"The judge made a ruling based on what he had," Dearing said. "We were told about it about 40 minutes before they took it to the judge. We've got our response filed now, but the judge didn't even look at our response before he made his decision. Now, he was in court all day and he was busy and I'm sure a high school baseball game may not be the toughest thing a judge is ruling on today. So the injunction happened and we'll deal with it and we'll see what happens."

Even though Lake Worth Trinity Christian lost its state semifinal matchup Wednesday, the school's fight with the FHSAA is not over.

"We're going to make sure our teams follow good sportsmanship conduct, and if they violate that conduct, we will hold them to what the consequences are going to be," Dearing said.

And the consequences Dearing laid out Wednesday are stiff. The FHSAA will seek to overturn the injunction. If that happens, Trinity Christian will face a fine of $2,500 per player initially ruled ineligible that dressed for Wednesday's game. It is not known how many of the 14 players the injunction filed Wednesday allowed to play actually suited up, but if all dressed the total cost would be $35,000. That's in addition to covering the FHSAA's court costs and legal fees.

Dearing also said the FHSAA will look to add bylaws specifically dealing with injunctions, and what teams will face if they decided to use that avenue in the future.

"We're going to set some pretty strong laws and in our bylaws about injunctions and so forth," Dearing said. "The thing about injunctions is that if you get an injunction, you win. But if you end up losing, there's going to be some severe consequences in the future. They are voluntary members of the FHSAA, and they will play by FHSAA rules. If you try to go around it in court it is known as an act of derision in our bylaws, so they will suffer the consequences if they don't prevail."

Trinity Christian athletic director Fred Erdman and baseball coach Miguel Cuello declined to comment on the matter.

I HOPE IT WAS WORTH IT!!!

quote:

Originally posted by MarlinsMS_35:

Why is the kid who got trampled suspended?

If I read this correctly, I don't think he was.

Llewellyn was spared because the incident took place near his position and he spent most of the altercation on the ground, waiting for his head to stop spinning.

The governing body could have stifled the damage by not have umpires show up for the game---no umps -- no game and thus the injunction is moot---

Fines ??

Courts and injunctions ??

Great fun for the kids

I agree, TR. This is just another shining example of where the "spirit " of today's society has gone.
"It's a stupid rule or law, so it certainly doesn't apply to me if there are special circumstances to deal with."
(IMHO, even our recent leaders in Washington used this logic to further their own agenda.)
Look, the rule (been in effect for some time) says that if you leave your position (or dugout) in such a situation, you are to be ejected from the game. With said ejection comes consequences.
I think it's called "Taking Responsibility for Your Own Actions!"
As for the severity of the consequences, that's a whole different discussion. However, I do know, when it comes to a p***ing contest, both sides come out all wet!

and they both stink as well

Those of us in Florida know that the FHSAA has not been popular lately in the baseball world.

This recent controversy comes on the heels of their decision to drastically reduce all athletic seasons (EXCEPT FOOTBALL). The decision was made even after a very open cry to not redcie the schedules by member schools.

Baseball had the Varsity schedule reduced from 25 games to 20 games and the JV went from 25 to 15 games.

Not popular decisions in this neck of the woods.

AMEN, junior!

One word of caution.

Trinity took this to court, the FHSAA was present to argue its side, and the judge ruled for Trinity.

The article then quotes only the FHSAA representatives, who, as might be expected, mouthed the typical sour grapes stuff you hear from folks who lose in court.

But the reality is, the judge is not supposed to issue the injunction unless he finds that there is legal basis for stopping the FHSAA from doing what it is doing.

In other words, the judge must have ruled that the FHSAA breached its obligations.

Unless someone wants to post a link to a transcript of the hearing, you guys might want to consider that the judge just might have had a good, sound basis for this ruling, and that the FHSAA, in addition to overreacting and being arbitrary, is a bunch of sore loser whiners who violated the law and don't like being called to account for their wrongful actions.

In the meantime, I like the sound of this Johnson kid, and I look forward to having him on OUR team! We could use an injection of competitive fire right about now!