High Schools - Penalties handed down for World Communications, Constitution

Not all punishments are created equal.

As circumstances now stand, one school might receive a more impactful penalty as a result of the Public D basketball game 2 days ago between World Communications Charter and Constitution High that was halted in the third quarter due to a bench-clearing brawl.

Robert Coleman, the District 12 chairman, last night ruled the game a double forfeit and said each team would forfeit its next game, as well.

He added that all ejected players - all but three of WC's; all but four of Constitution's - also would be ineligible for the teams' ensuing games. By PIAA rule, players who leave the bench receive automatic ejections.

At the time, he thought the next two games for both teams would be PL affairs. Yet, Constitution plays a nonleague game tomorrow against Franklin Learning Center.

"That's the game where their ejected players won't be available. They can't even be in the gym," Coleman said. "PIAA rules call for ejected players to miss the next game a team plays. I can't supersede them.

"I do understand the people who say this isn't fair to World Comm because their ejected guys will be missing a league game and Constitution's won't. I can bring this up at our next PIAA Board of Directors meeting.

"I just spoke with [WC coach Kenyatta McKinney]. He understands. The rule's the rule and it's just the way the schedule falls."

Coleman said Constitution will forfeit today's D game vs. Math, Civics and Sciences while WC will forfeit Monday's D game vs. A. Philip Randolph and use its skeleton crew in Tuesday's D game vs. Boys' Latin.