WPIAL to hold hearing over brawl in Valley-Ellwood City football game

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, October 2, 2017 | 12:51 PM

The WPIAL will hear Tuesday from football coaches and administrators at Valley and Ellwood City, whose Week 5 game was cut short by a benches-clearing brawl.

The game was halted with 1 minute, 41 seconds left after Valley attempted an unsuccessful onside kick and the two teams scuffled at midfield.

The benches emptied as players exchanged punches. After the teams separated, Ellwood City coach Nick Hand and Valley coach Muzzy Colosimo agreed to end the game. Ellwood City was awarded a 20-18 nonconference victory.

The WPIAL requested the schools' principals, athletic directors, head football coaches as well as the on-field game officials attend Tuesday's hearing, WPIAL executive director Tim O'Malley said.

It will be the second time in two weeks the WPIAL Board of Directors has called in school officials after a football game was cut short. In Week 4, the Jeannette-Imani Christian matchup was ended early by officials for safety concerns.

— Chris Harlan

Tags: Ellwood City, Valley