Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Altercation ends game, Devils lose by 10

With only 33 seconds left to play, the Gurdon-Bearden game was called due to what Gurdon Coach John Pace called a ruckus on the field.

Pace said the problem started when a Bearden player struck a member of the Go-Devils.

Bearden punched one of our kids in the stomach several times, Pace said. They should have thrown down a flag and stopped the clock, but they didnt.

Bearden is claiming that a Bearden player took a knee to run out the clock, but that Gurdon players refused to yield and struck the Bearden quarterback. Pace said the game tapes show thats not what happened.

Their quarterback was never hit in that play, Pace said. They say we hit their quarterback, but we didnt.

Pace said the problem was compounded by the fact that there are no barriers to keep the fans from the field, but said the altercation was ended quickly with no injuries to the Gurdon players.

We had it broke up in about a minute, Pace said. It really got blown out of proportion.

Pace said the decision to call the game was mutually acceptable to coaches and officials.

As a result of the incident, one Gurdon player will sit out the next game. Pace said Mario Walker, fullback and defensive end for the Go-Devils, will not be allowed to play in this Fridays game against Centerpoint.

Other than the unfortunate ending to the game, Pace said the Go-Devils played a good game, even though the ending score against the Bearden Bears was 36-26.

OBrian Bell ran for two of those Gurdon touchdowns while Lonnie Lacy and Jonathan Lacy each gained one touchdown for the Go-Devils. Pace said there were approximately 3 of the 10 passes completed, and that Gurdon managed some 36 rushes.

I feel like offensively we did some good things, Pace said. Were still awfully young.

He said the process of gaining experience simply takes time, and that the players are putting in their time to gain that needed experience.

The biggest problem for the Go-Devils, according to Pace, was the turnover count.

We had some turnovers that really hurt us, Pace said.

He said the plays were well defended, and that the turnovers could also be counted toward the aging process that will make the Go-Devils formidable adversaries.

Handling the ball has also been a problem for the Go-Devils.

We had some fumbled balls that we shouldnt have fumbled, Paces said. That comes from inexperience.