A brawl between the Cheyenne High School and Eldorado High School football teams on Friday, Sept. 4 at CHS, resulted in forfeits and suspensions of players and coaches for both teams for the following week’s games.

After Eldorado scored on its first possession to make it 7-0, a brawl erupted near the Cheyenne sideline after a long run by the Desert Shields into Eldorado territory with 1:36 remaining in the first quarter. Three penalty flags littered the field as referees and members of the Cheyenne coaching staff attempted to separate both teams.

CHS assistant principal Dr. Jeffrey Watkins informed that there were some player suspensions for both teams that impacted games the following week. As to whom specifically was suspended, Dr. Watkins was unwilling to say.

“From what I understand, Eldorado and Cheyenne got the same penalty,” Watkins said, adding later, “It went beyond what I thought it should. The referees, in my opinion, made the correct call, and fortunately it didn’t spill over into the stands, so our crowd did well.”

In order to ensure similar situations don’t reoccur in the future, CHS submitted a plan for sideline decorum to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA), which is currently under review. Watkins said CHS was “satisfied” with the handling of the situation and the suspensions that resulted.

Eldorado administrators did not comment on the situation or resulting suspensions.

As a result of the suspensions, though, the Eldorado Firehawks remain winless (0-4) after falling 22-14 to Del Sol in their first league game of the season. The Desert Shields, without their head coach, also took a loss at Rancho, 31-14, on Thursday, Sept. 10, falling to 1-2 in league play.

Cheyenne hosts the winless Western Warriors (0-4, 0-3) on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. while Eldorado is at undefeated Sunrise Mountain (4-0, 3-0) at the same time, Friday.