FHSAA allows Hawthorne to host state football semifinal after controversy

Hawthorne will be able to host the Class 1R state semifinal football game on Friday night after all.

The FHSAA gave the green light for the game against Blountstown to remain in Hawthorne after a series of meetings brought on by complaints from Pahokee High School officials, asserting Annie Mae Phillips Stadium was an unfit environment to host state series competitions.

Hawthorne defeated Pahokee 21-20 in the Class 1R region football final last Friday night, but there was an on-field altercation between players from both programs, as well as spectators from both stands, in the moments after the game ended.

Meetings between Hawthorne school officials, representatives from Alachua County Public Schools and the FHSAA were held on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine whether the game would remain in Hawthorne or moved to Gainesville's Citizens Field.

Representatives from the FHSAA weren't immediately available for comment as to what went into Wednesday's decision.

So, the Hornets will look to punch their third straight ticket to the state title game on their home turf.

What led to the discussion?

"We received a lot of (complaints), ranging from very different perspectives," FHSAA spokesperson Ryan Harrison said. "We have received complaints from both sides about sportsmanship, about safety concerns … really there’s no definitive thing that made us address the issue with them."

A look back at last week: High school football: Hawthorne avoids second-half collapse, edges Pahokee, 21-20, amid animosity

More Pahokee football: Jashon Benjamin's 'best night' powers Pahokee football in playoff rout of Chiefland

Pahokee football coach Emmanuel Hendrix called the scene at the Hawthorne stadium unacceptable.

“I’m extremely upset … No football game should be ever played at that stadium again under those circumstances," Hendrix said. "One of their coaches instigated the fight and there were fans with guns. Visibly present in the end zone and the stands.

“I really believe if we would have won that game someone would have lost a life”

Pahokee's captains refused to shake hands with Hawthorne's captains during the pre-game coin toss at midfield. However, according to Pahokee coaches and players, the Hawthorne players dissed the visiting team before the game.

"The little altercation before the game led to the tension and we just reciprocated the energy and it may have led to the postgame scene, but I don’t think it’s the only reason," said Pahokee senior Bijay Boldin.

“I think the reaction was so intense because the coaches and players walked over to our sideline —  not midfield — our sideline (after the game) flipping us off trying to fight, had their fans behind them as well coming from the back of both end zones. One person even pulled a gun on my teammate."

Boldin tossed his helmet amid the ruckus.

"I do not condone throwing my helmet and I didn’t want the moment to define the person I am," he said. "I just was scared and felt the need to defend myself.”

Meanwhile, Hawthorne head coach Cornelius Ingram, who immediately responded to the center of the scuffle, sending his players back to the Hawthorne sideline, says while emotions ran high, the footage he and school officials have watched of the incident doesn't show Hawthorne players getting physical.

"One thing I know for a fact is that we have the entire film. We didn't throw one punch, we didn't throw one helmet," Ingram said, adding that there were "definitely not" weapons involved. "So regardless of how talking went down, we never took it that far. I can say that."

Ingram said he thought many of the spectators who came onto the field after the game were concerned parents of players from both teams.

He said jawing was going back and forth between both teams prior to kickoff.

"There was a lot of talking back and forth during pregame warmups," Ingram said. "Their guys were excited. Our guys were excited."

More than anything, Ingram hates that the postgame incident has overshadowed the football showcase that took place on the field.

"It was a very emotional game and it was a great football game," Ingram said. "Probably one of the most disappointing endings of a football game I've ever been a part of because it took away from how good of a game it really was."

What this week's meetings boiled down to was security concerns at Hawthorne's football facility, which has hosted state series competitions the last three seasons with no trouble.

"There are a couple of things, that as it stands, the facilities don’t meet those minimum standards to be able to host state series games," Harrison said, referring to the FHSAA's facility requirements. "But they haven’t been issues up until, obviously, the brawl that took place. It just kinda raised safety concerns that we wanted to make sure were addressed before we played the game this week.”

Fans sitting behind end zones are an issue

Hawthorne's football stadium does not adhere to one of the requirements in the FHSAA handbook. According to Policy 14.3.2.8, "The facility should have a minimum of five yards of unobstructed space outside the playing field along each sideline and end line."

Anyone who has attended a Hawthorne football game has seen spectators sit or stand at the back of the end zones. It's unclear if that's the only issue Hawthorne was asked to address by the FHSAA.

"My teammates and I experienced an unfit environment for high school football. They allow their fans to sit at the back of the end zone, which could be a hazard because they’re like literally one yard away (from the playing field)," Boldin said, "Their security precautions aren’t great at all ... they didn’t have metal detectors to even know if someone was bringing a gun or knife into the game."

Officials have been using metal-detector wands on spectators entering high school stadiums in Palm Beach County since 2018, following a shooting in the parking lot during a preseason football game at Palm Beach Central High School that August.

Meanwhile, Hawthorne principal Ginger Stanford penned an optimistic message Tuesday afternoon to the Hawthorne Middle/High School community following the meeting with the FHSAA.

"You may have heard that due to concerns about security, fan behavior and other issues, the FHSAA, which is in charge of high school athletics in Florida, has been considering moving Friday’s game against Blountstown to Citizens Field in Gainesville," Stanford wrote. "We had a very productive meeting with FHSAA representatives this morning, and it’s clear we all want the game to be played at Hawthorne."

Stanford asked spectators for their help in creating an appropriate playing environment.

"We need to show that our plan will promote appropriate fan behavior before, during and after the game," Stanford added. "That means fans must stay off the field at all times and show respect for officials, the opposing team and their fans."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Hawthorne football: Hornets allowed to host semifinal despite FHSAA challenge