Update: AZ HS Program On Probation RE January Brawl

AIA disciplines S. Cruz wrestling for fight

Jose E. Garcia
The Arizona Republic

The Arizona Interscholastic Association placed Eloy Santa Cruz’s wrestling program on probation Tuesday in the aftermath of a brawl Jan. 15 involving Santa Cruz and Show Low fans and competitors at the Coolidge Invitational.

The disciplinary action, taken by the association’s executive board at a meeting in Phoenix, represents the first steps in addressing the recent trend of scuffles at high school sporting events.

Unlike Show Low, Santa Cruz presented a limited violation report to the AIA, prompting AIA executive director Harold Slemmer to recommend probation for Santa Cruz.

Show Low’s wrestling program and its activities program received a warning and an advisement, respectively, for its part. Coolidge’s activities program also received a warning.

Teams placed on probation are not allowed to participate in the state tournament. A warning eliminates programs from excellence awards and can lead to probation if another incident occurs. An advisement is a word of caution, which Maricopa High received after an incident that a fan started during a basketball game Jan. 28.

Santa Cruz Athletic Director Steve Hudgens said his school is going to appeal the penalty.

“It’s more a matter of paper work, “Hudgens said. “The AIA is not out to punish the kids.”

In a separate incident, Prescott’s girls basketball program was also placed on probation because its coach decided to take the team off the court with 21 seconds left in a game for what he felt was bad officiating.

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