Cross Creek forfeits game against Hart County after fight

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Cross Creek High School has forfeited this week’s football game over last Friday’s brawl that erupted as the team played Savannah High.

Meanwhile, police are looking into an altercation between a Cross Creek player and a Savannah coach during the fracas.

Savannah High and Cross Creek both had to forfeit their next game under sanctions from the Georgia High School Association.

In Cross Creek’s case, that means this week’s game against Hart County High School has been canceled.

All football activities including JV football have been suspended at Cross Creek, head coach Ezzard Horn said, which parents think this goes beyond the players involved.

“Do you punish everyone because now the band isn’t playing so you’re hurting their recruitment process? The cheerleaders aren’t cheering so you’re hurting their recruitment process? So, as a collective is the board looking out for the entire student body when they are making some of the decisions that they’re making? It’s not just the football players that are suffering. It’s the collective student body,” said Marquita Brown, who is a parent.

The game between Savannah and Cross Creek ended when two players began to fight on the field and then the fracas spread.

“He just started swinging on the Cross Creek player. It was like ‘Hey, hey, hey!,’” said Brown.

It’s something parent’s didn’t expect.

Crystal Davis said: “We went to play football, and it was a complete WWE match.”

It was Cross Creek’s second game impacted by violence. Week one against Butler was canceled because of safety concerns.

The Georgia High School Association issued sanctions against both Savannah High and Cross Creek over the bench-clearing fight.

“The big question is what would they have suggested the boys to do when they’re being trampled over, do nothing, you know, and then as a result, our players are hurt. Would it have been a different outcome? If our players were hurt in this? You know, it’s just it’s too much,” said Davis.

Both teams were required to forfeit the next game on their schedule and multiple student-athletes face additional game suspensions due to their conduct.

“As our investigation continues, there may be additional student disciplinary consequences for actions as identified in our Student Code of Conduct and Discipline,” the Richmond County School System said in a statement.

All during a season where parents say everything was starting to click.

“We’re all becoming one and being able to play better, so up until this we were 3-1. Like that’s the best Cross Creek has been probably since, like 2019 school year,” said Brown.

Now, the Razorback community can only come together.

Chelsea Sims, a parent, said: “This has affected all of us as a whole. We’re family now.”

Hart County High, meanwhile, reached an agreement and will now face Bulloch Academy this Friday for its homecoming.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.