Theft accusations mar Class A city title game

AS IF LAST week's confusion surrounding the Class A city title matchup between KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy and Bishop McDevitt wasn't enough, allegations of theft arose before the two teams even played a down on Saturday.

KIPP, in its first year of varsity football, eventually won, 16-14, thanks to senior wide receiver Kyree Ruffin's late touchdown.

However, unfortunately for both sides, accusations of thievery against a youth football program playing at the field before the championship game cast a pall over the proceedings.

As the Public and Catholic League teams played for the title, the accused were searched by police and coaches for missing items until late in the second half.

"KIPP won that game, I would never take anything away from them," said McDevitt offensive coordinator Colin Leach. "They out-played us to win that game, [but] the circumstances in that game were ludicrous to have to go through that as a team."

The day started inauspiciously as heavy rains made George Washington High's grass football field unplayable for the scheduled 1 p.m. kickoff.

As a result, officials eventually found suitable turf at the Marcus Foster Supersite. Confusion between Districts 12 and 1 earlier in the week had already caused both sides to adjust their schedules to fit the game in.

When the two teams finally arrived, a youth football game was already in session. Once that game was complete, Leach said the Lancers put their belongings into a locker room that also housed one of the youth squads.

After the Lancers' offense warmed up, Leach said he and sophomore quarterback Max Bryson fled the rain and chill and went back into the locker room. There, Leach said a few of the youth players seemed "spooked" by their presence.

Leach said he spoke up after noticing a pair of black and gold McDevitt cleats were present one minute but gone the next.

"I said, 'Hold on, hold on,' because I went over and checked and the cleats were gone," Leach said. "The coach tried to stop his team and a bunch of the kids ran off."

Leach said the kids fled into an adjacent bathroom. Minutes later, Leach said his team filed in to find items such as headphones, iPhones, iPods and iPads missing from their bags.

Leach also said the youth team's coach tried to help by searching his players. Later, some of the McDevitt items were found in the trash can of that adjacent bathroom.

The police were also called and Leach said many of his players rubbernecked during the game while officers conducted their investigation.

"I really felt bad for them," said KIPP coach Keary Dias. "We went into our locker room and checked our stuff and everything was there."

Dias said he also offered to help in any way he could. Leach said a few more items were found by police, but more are still missing.

"There's no excuse for us losing," Leach said, "but it really [stunk] to start a game like that."

Leach spoke of a plan to recoup some belongings, but the details couldn't immediately be confirmed. District 12 chairman Robert Coleman could not be reached for comment.