Opposing teams disagree on what led to lacrosse game brawl

LOGAN, Utah – Two days after a large fight broke out during a lacrosse game at Logan High School, coaches and parents say they were hoping to put the unfortunate event behind them. Instead they find themselves today, working to set the record straight.

On Thursday, parents and coaches from the Roy lacrosse team, which is not tied to the Weber School District or Roy High School, told KSL that their goalie boiled over after enduring multiple comments on the field, including racial remarks. Their goalie, Payton Smith happens to be African-American. On Friday, Logan’s head coach Mark Stokes said those claims “Couldn’t be further from the truth.” Allison Bodily, a Logan parent agreed.

“I think they’re grasping at straws by saying those things,” Bodily said. “We have a diverse lacrosse team, and the thought of any of them insulting somebody because of race is just ridiculous.”

As Stokes points out, a team picture shows players of various ethnic backgrounds. Logan City Schools Superintendent Frank Schofield says the team is fairly representative of the student body at Logan High.

“We have students from a wide range of ethnic and cultural and language backgrounds,” Schofield said. “Most of our students understand the challenges of using any sort of racial slur creates. They understand the harm that that can cause.”

Video shared with KSL from Wednesday night’s game, shows Smith, pushing down another player, who falls onto another Roy player. Both Roy players are then seen pushing their opponent, before Smith kicks him. Bodily says shortly before that, Logan had made several goals, taking the lead. A student section in the stands started chanting.

“Chants that have been around for years, you know. ‘Warm up the bus, you’re going home,’ singing songs about ‘goodbye,'” Bodily recalled. “Probably a little rude. Probably a little raucous, but not unexpected at a high school sporting event.”

As the Roy goalie was ejected from the game, Bodily says a Roy parent walked over to the Logan student section, yelling. That’s when she says a Roy player rushed to the stands, followed by others.

“Their team got very belligerent, stormed the fence, and started attacking us,” Bodily said. “We had several parents down there, trying to stop the boys from getting into the stands. And what looked like punches being thrown to me, were parents, trying to deflect the punches being thrown.”

North Park Police are investigating claims from a Roy parent that her son was assaulted while being held against a chain link fence. Bodily says she did not see that alleged confrontation in the fray.

Related: Brawl breaks out at Logan Lacrosse game, parents claim racial tensions