BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bennett High Tigers lost the Class AA state semifinals game over the weekend to Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse.
Last Saturday Bennett, the reigning champs were going up against Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse. During the game a Bennett player was hit with a penalty.
While the kids are heartbroken over the loss, there were more issues that happened on the field that are being addressed.
An assistant coach with Bennett stepped on the field and was flagged. Later a flag was thrown on the sideline against Michael House, Buffalo's assistant superintendent for athletics.
Bennett's head coach, Steve McDuffie, approached a referee on the field about it.
Both men call what transpired "unfortunate." It was a situation that escalated when their opponent was huddled with coaches and Bennett was flagged for doing the same thing. The rules allow for a team to protest a call, and that is what coach McDuffie did.
Now McDuffie and House say that "accountability is needed to be built into this system for the officials. I mean, we need a system of review where somebody can hold them accountable."
Missing from the game, according to House, were officials from Section VI.
"To date, we have not been able to identify any representative from Section VI that was there to support us on behalf of our section," House said. "It was simply our administrative staff, our board, our cabinet members, all of our parents, families, but we didn't have any support from the section that we are aware of. No one came down."
Onondaga County Sheriff’s deputies were on the field. McDuffie has filed a report against one deputy for assault.
Bennett lost 21-8. as for the players, the coach says they're heartbroken, but they wish their opponent well in the championship.
"We wish Christian Brothers the best of luck in their quest for a state championship. We're really rooting for them," McDuffie said.
Buffalo Public School athletic officials recommend:
- Accountability for officials
- Formal appeals process
- Additional diversity training for officials
- Neutral site for playoffs
House said: "There was a lot of chaos and confusion, and I see a deeper problem and cause here we questioned NYSPSAA (New York State Public High School Athletic Association) on the officials where they were from, why we didn't get some support from the sectional level or office. We've seen our section over the years the past 3-4 years improve. A lot of the diversity on the coaching or on the officiating staff, and really support a lot of our programs, and our coaches, and our kids, and we didn't get that same level of support from the Section V officials that we do here in Section VI."
Coach McDuffie said: "We try to teach our young men here at Bennett High School all the fundamentals and basic values that make our country so great, like integrity, honesty, sportsmanship, and I just am so afraid that when they see things like this, they start to question the values that we're trying to teach them to make them into stronger men and productive members of society. They were heartbroken, but I'm still trying to teach them that, you know what, sometimes in life, you know, you got to learn valuable lessons even when things don't go your way. And it's how you respond to it, to make you a better human being."