Liberty-Desert Pines game ruled double forfeit because of fight

A fight breaks out in the third quarter during the Liberty Patriots road game with the Desert Pines Jaguars on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, at Desert Pines High School, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Coaches try and break up a fight in the third quarter during the Liberty Patriots road game with the Desert Pines Jaguars on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, at Desert Pines High School, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

The Liberty-Desert Pines football game last Friday — during which a benches-clearing fight broke out — will be ruled a double forfeit and each team will forfeit its next game, both coaches said Tuesday.

Liberty will forfeit its Oct. 5 Southeast League opener against Chaparral, Patriots coach Rich Muraco told the Review-Journal. Desert Pines will forfeit Friday’s Northeast League opener against Canyon Springs, Desert Pines coach Tico Rodriguez said on Twitter.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is expected to make an official announcement Wednesday. The NIAA on Tuesday would not confirm that any punishment had been handed out.

But in a statement released on Facebook, Muraco said: “I take full responsibility as the coach for the failure of our team to follow procedures during the on-field incident. I have failed as a coach by not being able to teach the boys how to react and how to control their emotions.

“I can promise everyone that we will learn from this experience and be a better team moving forward.”

Rodriguez didn’t return a voicemail seeking comment but said on Twitter:

“Our players are devastated and embarrassed that we put ourselves in this situation. I take full responsibility, as head coach, and own the shame of this regrettable incident. It is an unfortunate occurrence, yet both programs have great coaches that strike to be positive role models. Desert Pines will learn from this experience and become a stronger and more determined team.”

This is the third instance in the past two years of a benches-clearing incident during a football game, and the punishments have been consistent. Canyon Springs and Basic were given a double forfeit and an additional forfeiture for their fight last year. Clark and Basic received the same discipline this month, but Basic received an extra game for a repeat offense.

Friday’s game, which was allowed to continue after the altercation, ended in a 33-6 Liberty victory. All individual stats will remain on the books. Liberty’s new record is 1-3, and Desert Pines’ is 3-1.

More preps: Follow all of our Nevada Preps coverage online at nevadapreps.com and @NevadaPreps on Twitter.

Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2944. Follow @J15Emerson on Twitter.