BRIDGEPORT — Parents of Bulldog football players appealed to the Bridgeport Board of Education in October, asking the district to boycott games against Shadyside following a game that included 22 penalties against the Tigers.
Shadyside came out on top Oct. 15, besting Bridgeport 40-26 at Bridgeport’s Perkins Field inside Bill Jobko Stadium. But that victory came at a cost, with penalties totaling 180 yards.
Jennifer Galownia, a mother of Bridgeport students, addressed Bridgeport board members, saying she was the “unofficial representative of several other parents, and some parents in other schools.”
She said the game was an example of poor sportsmanship.
Friday night’s game was ridiculous. We did not deserve that, our children did not deserve that,” she said. “We are anti-bullying everywhere except on that field on Friday. I felt terrible for our children at that game. (Shadyside players) were out for blood.”
She referred to videos from the game, recorded by spectators.
“I have parents sending me videos, and they’re saying we have to send them to the Ohio High School Athletic Association,” she said. “That was brutal. They played dirty.”
Galownia said the attitude continued after the game.
“We’re being crucified over social media over that game from that team,” she said. “Why are we still playing them?
We are telling (Bridgeport students), ‘Forget what you learned … because it doesn’t matter. You’re going to play with zero integrity or you’re going to get that from your opponent.’ … We’re lucky our kids didn’t get hurt.”
She asked the board to consider not scheduling games with Shadyside in the future.
“We will put a plan into action,” Bridgeport Superintendent Brent Ripley told her.
Shadyside Superintendent John Haswell was disappointed in the Tigers’ conduct on th field.
“I was not pleased about how that game went,” he said. “I called their superintendent personally the next day and apologized for our kids’ behavior. That is not who we are and it will be dealt with, and it has been dealt with.”
Haswell said coach Mike Kernik addressed the players and let them know such behavior will not be tolerated. He said one Shadyside student-athlete was ejected from the game Friday and would not play the following week due to an OHSAA-mandated suspension. Haswell said other discipline occurred as well.
“If there is any type of that behavior, it will be dealt with by pulling people off the field. That is not Shadyside,” Haswell said. “That was not representative of what we stand for, and I promise you it’s not going to happen again. If it does, then the people that did it will be removed.”