(12-5-22) During the recent 2022 Thanksgiving RPS 205 Tip-Off Classic in Rockford, Illinois a brawl broke out after the East St. Louis and Rockford East game with players from both teams involved.

East St. Louis vs Rockford East – 4th Quarter

Access GlobalTV – You Tube Video

According to the Rockford Register Star Story the fight or the brawl included players from both teams swinging and happened as Harlem and Chicago Bogan were warming up for the next game in the tournament.

Rockford Register Star Story –

The result of the altercation was not known (still isn’t) until this past week when Rockford East opened league play in the NIC 10.

Multiple E-Rab players did not play this past week and they lost both of the games that they played. It is assumed that those players were suspended for their parts in the fracas. East Coach Roy Sackmaster was able to coach the team in both games.

The first loss came to Belvidere 83-54 who had lost 55 NIC 10 conference games in a row before the win over East. The second loss came came at the hands of Auburn, not a good way to start conference play at 0-2.

A short email reply from the Rockford (RPS 205) school district’s Cathy Bayer on the situation offered no additional insight or what actions were taken on the East team –

The district isn’t making any comments or statements. 

Meanwhile in an email reply from East St Louis School District 189 Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, MSW, Executive Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships

On behalf of the entire East St. Louis School District 189 community, as well as the athletic program at East St. Louis Senior High School, we offer our sincere apologies for the disruptive behaviors that took place on November 26, 2022.  We are disappointed in the team’s behavior which runs counter to the expectations we have for our student athletes.  Following the event, we acted swiftly to investigate and assign disciplinary consequences in line with the East St. Louis School District’s Student Code of Conduct and the Student Athletic Handbook. This included significant individual disciplinary consequences, as well as team consequences.

We hold high standards for our coaches and student athletes.  Our administration and coaching staff have reviewed procedures and put additional measures in place to prevent this type of disruption from happening again in future conference and non-conference contests. Additionally, we remain committed to teaching our student athletes the importance of sportsmanship and character at all times. 

The Illinois High School Association’s Matt Troha said that school’s have the ability to impose penalties. We (the IHSA) have the ability to apply further penalties if we believe they are warranted. Troha also shared the following statement from –

Kurt Gibson, the IHSA official in charge of basketball

“The schools have taken what we believe is significant and appropriate action in response to the post-game incident that occurred between the two schools. The action includes player and coach discipline, along with the development of new post-game procedures their teams will follow in the hopes that nothing of this nature occurs again.”

Auburn and East highlights from day six of RPS-205 Tipoff Tournament

13 WREX – You Tube Video

East played two games after the incident with several key players missing…

Auburn cruises past shorthanded East

Eyewitness News WTVO WQRF – You Yube Video

Belvidere stuns East on opening night in the NIC-10

Eyewitness News WTVO WQRF – You Tube Video

East St. Louis was scheduled to play on December 3rd at the Darius Miles & Larry Hughes Blood Sweat and Tears High School Showcase, but according to the Flyers MaxPreps site they did not play. The are next scheduled to play Alton this Tuesday (Dec. 6th).

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