Corbin Superintendent issues statement on postgame brawl at Class 3A Championship Game
It has been widely reported since Friday evening that a brawl between Corbin and Louisville Central players broke out after the conclusion of the Class 3A state football championship game at Kroger Field in Lexington.
In a statement submitted via e-mail Monday morning, KHSAA Communications Director Joe Angolia said, “It is unfortunate that this situation marred an otherwise great game. We will review all available accounts including all actions taken by players, and all actions taken and not taken by other school representatives, and make any determinations following the conclusion of the playoffs.”
Later Monday, Corbin Independent Schools Superintendent Dave Cox sent out a press release saying, “Corbin and Louisville Central competed in an incredible football game on Friday night to decide the KHSAA Class 3A Championship. This rivalry has quickly become one of the best in the state of Kentucky, and one that both schools should ultimately be proud of.”
“Unfortunately, the incident that occurred during the post-game activities on Friday night has overshadowed the game. We have reviewed video, spoken to players, coaches, and administration from Louisville Central. The initial sentiment is the same; we are all very displeased that this happened and that both sides share responsibility. It is unfortunate that this took away from the tremendous efforts of so many student-athletes.”
“We want to be clear that we do not condone the way some of our players reacted and have taken steps to prevent this type of behavior in the future. We want to ensure that our athletics reflect mutual respect and emphasize positive values.”
Central defeated Corbin 20-19 in the Class 3A championship Friday, and punches were thrown near the Redhounds’ sideline minutes later as players and coaches were shaking hands before trophy presentations were scheduled to take place. It is still unclear exactly what prompted the fight, which required several nearby assistants and sideline personnel to break up.
Directly after the incident, Corbin Head Coach Justin Haddix said in a postgame interview, “Tempers flared a little bit at the end, and things just happened. Everything is fine now. It’s a non-issue.”
Of course, after a weekend full of comments and complaints on social media, it has become clear that the fight is a major issue for many people in both the Corbin and Louisville Central communities. Prior to the official press release being sent out Monday, Superintendent Cox said, “We are going to review it today, talk to people that were on the sideline, and try to figure out what we should do. We are also waiting to talk to the KHSAA, and hopefully we can come together to make the right decision. Right now we are still in investigative mode.”
Cox also said that, due to confidentiality regulations, he would not be able to provide any specific information pertaining to any disciplinary action that might be taken against any individual student, or students. The KHSAA has not made any further comments on the incident at this time. Corbin Athletic Director Andrew Roark said prior to Monday’s press release, “Administrators are looking into the incident, and working with the KHSAA. At this time, we have no further comment.”