Sometimes, football players and fans let their emotions get the better of them. That was the case Friday evening at Mira Monte High when Del Oro lost, 35-0, in a tense and emotional matchup.
Now the Suns await a decision on Monday, which could either end Del Oro’s season or give them one last-ditch shot at a spot in the South Yosemite Horizon League playoffs.
Friday’s game started with the Lions taking the lead in the first quarter with two touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, tensions arose when senior wide receiver Ernest Jones stomped off the field, flung his helmet to the ground, and voiced his frustration toward referees and coaches after he was ejected from the game.
Jones seemed to target the Suns’ ineffective offense as his source of frustration.
“The QB [starter Damian Gracian] didn’t dare look to the right side. He only threw to the left and they kept dropping the ball,” said Jones, referring to the other receivers.
Jones wasn’t the only Suns player who couldn’t hold his emotions. Others showed their frustration during the game by arguing with their coaches on the sidelines. A few shed tears.
Senior Daniel Oats picked up a Mira Monte player and slammed him to the ground near the end of the second quarter, which earned Del Oro a foul.
“We were getting [beat] and everything on offense wasn’t working out, and I was getting mad and saw him run my way,“ said Oats, a strong safety on defense. “I tackled him and pushed him back. I didn’t hear the ref blow the whistle, so I body slammed him.”
The game continued on with the Lions holding a 23-0 lead and finishing the first half with an interception off Gracian.
As the game progressed into the second half, hostilities increased with alleged racial comments being made by Mira Monte players toward Del Oro’s athletes, which led to more on-field altercations and arguing.
Jones ended by walking off the field and taking his gear off. In what seemed to be a goodbye of sorts, he hugged his teammates and shook their hands.
The Suns’ top trash-talking wide receiver was done playing for the evening after being ejected from the game by the referees for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“[The coaches] gave up on us after the fifth week,” Jones said. “We are too talented to be 2-7 right now.”
Friday’s loss was Del Oro’s sixth consecutive defeat since beating Santa Maria, 44-3, on Sept. 5.
Former Suns player Angel De Leon, who watched the game from the sidelines, said he understood Jones’ emotions but didn’t agree with his actions.
“All those emotions are just him trying to toughen up and make his team better, but at the end of the day, nothing is going to get better.” De Leon said. “I think what he did was very disrespectful, and he should have stood in his jersey just to motivate the team more than he did even when he was out.”
Jones responded by saying that it wasn’t his intention to make it appear as if he was giving up on his teammates.
“I wouldn’t leave my team high and dry,” he said. “I’m not like that. That’s why I gave everyone a hug and shook their hands.”
The referees stopped the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter, citing unsportsmanlike behavior on both teams.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to hold our [expletive] together,” said Head Coach Pete Hernandez, adding that “There is a slight possibility that our season is canceled.”
The Suns (2-7 overall, 0-3 SYHL) will learn on Monday if they are allowed to continue their season and play their final game against the East Blades, who are currently 1-8 and lost 43-13 to West on Friday.
Advisor’s note: The story and photo captions have been clarified to note that Jones was ejected from the game.
