BY JUSTIN RICE

The scuffle that started last Friday on the court and spread to the stands during Brooke Point’s boys basketball game at Stafford will have an impact on the Commonwealth District standings.

Both Stafford and Brooke Point were made to forfeit their next game as a punishment for the incident.

For the Indians, that game was a nondistrict matchup against James Monroe on Monday.

For Brooke Point, it was a district game last night against North Stafford.

The Wolverines improved to 5–1 in the district with the forfeit, taking a one-game lead over the Black–Hawks (4–2).

Stafford athletic director Wes Bergazzi said administrators from both schools followed Virginia High School League guidelines to determine an appropriate punishment.

The schedule—and how the forfeits would figure into the district standings—were not a consideration.

“To be consistent,” Bergazzi said, “you follow the high school league protocol. [The forfeit] is the next game, and that’s just the way the schedule is.”

Added Brooke Point athletic director Roger Pierce: “Kids need to learn lessons from this. [The punishment] is the right thing to do, and they’ll learn from the consequences.”

Also, some players from both teams involved in the incident are serving two-game suspensions.

No players were ejected from Friday’s game, which was finished in an empty gymnasium after spectators were removed. Technical fouls were assessed to players from both teams for leaving the bench area.

Brooke Point coach Joe Kania said he hopes his team can learn from mistakes it made during the incident.

“If you’re a true coach, you’re preparing a young man for the future they’ve got,” Kania said. “We all know there’s going to be adversity. Part of learning to be a young man is learning to handle these situations.”

While declining to discuss the specifics of the incident or the penalty, Kania agreed that a punishment was warranted.

“We’re showing our kids no matter how emotions take over, you must do the right thing,” he said. “Situations like this will not be tolerated, and something had to be done about it.

“We’ve got to realize things like this can’t happen.”

Justin Rice: 540/368-5045
jrice@freelancestar.com