PORT ORANGE, Fla. (AP) — Videotapes brought by proud parents to capture their teenage sons' triumphs on the gridiron may instead have captured adults behaving badly.
Police hope to review the videotapes Monday and determine who started Saturday's melee between the teams of 14- and 15-year-olds from Port Orange, south of Daytona Beach, and Winter Springs, near Orlando.
A 31-year-old mother from Orlando was charged with resisting arrest, and a 15-year-old player was accused of battery on a law enforcement officer for allegedly throwing a traffic cone at the officer and punching him in the face. The officer received minor injuries.
"Right now we are not pointing fingers at anybody," Police Cmdr. Michael Sheridan said. "Order was restored quickly, and right now we are just trying to sort things out."
Sheridan said the brawl began shortly after the home team, the Port Orange Hawks, scored a touchdown in overtime, winning the game 12-6. As the winners left the field, Sheridan said, members of the West Orange Wildcats followed.
"There were some words exchanged, and a fight broke out between the coaches and players of both teams," Sheridan said. "When the fight started, spectators from both sides started toward the fight, adding to the confusion and chaos."
One player was punched and kicked and another was bitten, though most of the injuries were minor and treated at the scene, Sheridan said. Officers responding to 911 calls made from cellular phones were able to break it up.
"We were totally jumped by surprise," said Port Orange coach Kenneth Klindt. "They were the instigators, and it's on film."
West Orange coach Eddie Thomas could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Miami police were investigating punches that were exchanged between parents and coaches at a youth football game there Saturday after a referee called the end of the game in the fourth quarter for unsportsmanlike behavior by some players. One parent received stitches for a lip cut.
during the scuffle.
There have been several brawls involving youth sports across the country this year. In July, a hockey player's father in Massachusetts was charged with manslaughter after he fought with a referee who then died. About a week later in Hollywood, Fla., a Police Athletic League baseball coach was accused of breaking an umpire's jaw during an argument. Earlier this month, nearly two dozen parents got in a scrap at a T-ball game for 4- and 5-year-olds in Miami.