WFL: Mavs’ foe leaves field after melee
May 24, 2009 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — The Yakima Mavericks’ perfect season continued, although they certainly didn’t want it happen under Saturday’s circumstances at Zaepfel Stadium.
Yakima was credited with a victory after the Columbia Basin Riverhawks walked off the field with about 11 minutes remaining following a melee that had players from both teams ejected, according to Mavericks general manager Nathan Soptich.
Yakima had just scored to push its lead to 24-6 and Joe Smith was kicking off. A Riverhawks player hit Smith while his foot was still in the air and then stood over Smith, taunting him, Soptich said.
Some Yakima players took exception and a fight broke out.
After peace was restored and players ejected, the Riverhawks decided to leave the field and the game was halted.
“I can’t get mad at my guys for sticking up for their teammates … but I’m pretty embarassed,” Soptich said. “It was kind of a bad deal.”
With the Riverhawks decision, Yakima will receive a victory, pushing its season record to 8-0. That also secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, regardless of the outcome of next Saturday’s regular-season finale at Wenatchee.
Yakima’s first playoff game will be at noon on June 6 against an opponent still to be determined.
Although Yakima had a comfortable lead Saturday, Soptich said the team hadn’t turned in one of its better efforts.
“We struggled,” he said. “We turned the ball over a couple of times and were not playing that great up to that point.”
No statistics were available.
Filed under All, More, Yakima Mavericks
What the Riverhawks did was uncalled for. My husband plays for the Mavericks and he was pretty upset because the game he loves to play was called to a stop becsaue of some poor sports.