High School Football

Police records indicate several football players at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, allegedly sexually assaulted one of their teammates in late August.

Connor Sheets, Hannah Fry and Laura J. Nelson of the Los Angeles Times reported the Santa Ana Police Department document was filed in September.

It does not clarify whether the allegations were investigated or if police were contacted, instead explaining the student's coach informed school officials. Police learned about the information secondhand from social services.

According to the document, "several football players forced a teammate to the floor and exposed their genitals. Then they held him down, as one player 'began humping' him from behind, through his pants."

The student wasn't physically hurt but left Mater Dei in the aftermath and suffered from anxiety.

Mater Dei, which is known for the success of its football program on the field, was already in recent headlines after the family of a former football player filed a lawsuit that the Los Angeles Times noted alleged "a culture of hazing and secrecy and a win-at-any-cost attitude."

That lawsuit states the football player was forced to fight a much larger teammate in a hazing ritual called "Bodies," which calls for players to exchange punches in the torso between the waist and shoulders until one relents.

The smaller student suffered a number of injuries, including a concussion and a broken nose, and the lawsuit said the school attempted to cover up the incident and did not contact paramedics or his family for 90 minutes.

A Santa Ana Police Department investigator recommended felony battery charges against the larger player, who remained on the football team, per Scott M. Reid of the Orange County Register. 

The player who suffered the injuries withdrew from the school.

While the Los Angeles Times noted head football coach Bruce Rollinson told police he was unaware of the "Bodies" ritual, the lawsuit said he told the injured student's father he "would be a millionaire if he got paid $100 every time he heard about Bodies or other physical rituals."

Following that lawsuit, another lawsuit alleged that two Mater Dei football players broke the jaw of a student who was on the basketball team. Older crude cellphone videos of football players also began to circulate.

Mater Dei hired the law firm Van Dermyden Makus to investigate its safety practices within the athletic department. The investigation remains ongoing.

Team Icons won Sunday's Under Armour All-America Game, 23-17, holding off Team Legends' second-half comeback attempt. 

Future Michigan Wolverine Derrick Moore, a 4-star defensive line recruit, was named the game's MVP after registering multiple sacks:

Michigan signee Derrick Moore cannot be stopped 🚆〽️

The @SFAfootball_MD senior is honoring his teammate Aaron Wilson by wearing #8 today. @UANextFootball l @CraigHaubert pic.twitter.com/MhV0dMNyLe

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 2, 2022

Derrick Moore, the Under Armour All-America Game MVP, spoke about his former teammate Aaron Wilson, who passed away from brain cancer in April:

"I'm actually out here playing for him, I'm not playing for myself." pic.twitter.com/NgGs822FAp

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2022

Michigan signee Derrick Moore takes home MVP honors at the Under Armour Game @Big8DMoore | @MaizeBlueReview pic.twitter.com/Xcsz77kb0j

— Rivals (@Rivals) January 2, 2022

Team Icons raced out to an early 17-0 lead in this one, with 5-star wideout and Missouri signee Luther Burden—the top receiver in the Class of 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings—scoring on the first play from scrimmage. 

No. 1 WR Luther Burden gets the touchdown chain on the first play of the game! ⛓️ @lutherburden3 @UANextFootball airing live on ESPN 📺 pic.twitter.com/fMEw8KjFwk

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 2, 2022

Get that man a chain!! Touchdown for team Icons! 14-0 Icons with the lead 💪 #UANext pic.twitter.com/brAejXwFa9

— All-America Game (@UANextFootball) January 2, 2022

But 4-star tight end and Texas A&M signee Donovan Green started the comeback effort for Team Legends:

No. 1 TE Donovan Green finds the endzone before half in the Under Armour All American Game #GigEm @Donovangreen23 @UANextFootball pic.twitter.com/qMWJHQv7iZ

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 2, 2022

As for some of the big names playing, No. 2 overall prospect Walter Nolen showed up in a big way, which included forcing a fumble to prevent a touchdown:

Texas A&M signee Walter Nolen (#1 in the 2022 ESPN 300) forces the fumble on the goal line 💥@WalterNolen4 l @UANextFootball l @CraigHaubert pic.twitter.com/MRD0wc8op8

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 2, 2022

It was a good day for Texas A&M, which received a commitment from 5-star linebacker Harold Perkins:

.@AggieFootball keeps on winning 👀

#1 OLB Harold Perkins commits to Texas A&M. pic.twitter.com/vLaqR3CQ6K

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2022

The Aggies now have six 5-star recruits in the Class of 2022 and top the 247Sports team rankings for the class. Jimbo Fisher is putting together a powerhouse.

And top overall recruit Travis Hunter, heading to Jackson State, looked better in his defensive reps at cornerback, though his man wasn't targeted often. He was also mic'd up during the game:

Travis Hunter mic'd up during the Under Armour All-America game is too good 😂 pic.twitter.com/c1em29OiGB

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2022

Hunter might have a future as a two-way player, but he didn't make a huge impact on the game at wideout on Sunday. 

Other notable commitments included 4-star edge Omari Abor announcing he would sign with Ohio State and 4-star running back Jovantae Barnes committing to Ohio State.

Robbie Roper, a quarterback at Roswell High School in Georgia, died Wednesday from complications following shoulder surgery in Florida. He was 18.

Cal Callaway of Fox 5 Atlanta reported details of the high school senior's death. His family posted a statement on Twitter:

Hey everyone, here is the update on Robbie. pic.twitter.com/oZuzCT7czf

— Robbie Roper 6'4 215lb Dual Threat QB/GPA 3.9 (@robbieroper2022) December 22, 2021

Roper received scholarship offers from Massachusetts, Morehead State, Morgan State and Western Carolina, per 247Sports. He'd also attracted interest from several high-profile college football programs, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Georgia.

The quarterback tallied 42 total touchdowns (37 passing and five rushing) during Roswell's 2021 season. He guided the Hornets to a 10-3 record as they advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. They finished 18th in MaxPreps' final rankings for Georgia.

Steven Craft, the athletic director for Fulton County Schools, posted a message of condolence on Twitter:

We are all heartbroken for the Roper family and the @roswellsports community. Please continue to lift this family and community up in 🙏. @robbieroper2022 will be remembered as a fierce competitor, amazing son, and a great friend. You will be missed. @TDCROSWELL @RoswellHighSch pic.twitter.com/fooGswPQKF

— Steven Craft (@Crafts_DPS) December 22, 2021

Roper had just spoken with Zach Goodall of All Gators on Sunday, saying his recruitment was starting to take off following his standout senior campaign.

"It's definitely been crazy. I mean the first game of the season, I think I put up 450 [yards] passing and about 70 on the ground, so I knew what season it could end up being," he said. "Lately it's just been crazy. I know it's a little late in the game, but there's still a lot of schools that have been very interested, and Florida has definitely been one of them."

Roswell's athletic department posted a statement on social media: "Heartbreaking news. Robbie was an incredible young man and made a huge impact on his teammates, classmates, and the community. #5 will never be forgotten."

Chris Prewett, the school's head football coach also shared his thoughts about Roper: "Heartbroken is a gross understatement. Robbie was a fantastic young man and a fighter all the way thru!! You will be missed in so many ways!! Prayers to this grieving family and our community."

His sister Breanna, a member of the Ole Miss softball team, coined the slogan "Live Like 5:"

LIVE LIKE 5💚 Robbie was able to touch so many hearts. I am beyond proud of the man he has become, and can only wish to be half as good of a teammate, leader, and person that Robbie was. #NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/WVu0QMHOOL

— breanna roper (@b_rope__) December 22, 2021

No further information about the medical complications following his surgery has been made public.

High school quarterback Jaden Rashada, a 4-star prospect out of Pittsburg, California, has signed a four-figure endorsement deal with recruiting app AIR (Athletes in Recruitment), per ESPN's Dan Murphy.

Rashada will be promoting the app on social media, and he "is believed to be the first high school football player to profit from endorsements" since the NCAA changed its NIL rules over the summer, Murphy added. Prior to the rule change, high school players who were paid for endorsements were ineligible to compete in the NCAA.

James Sackville, a former punter at SMU and founder of the AIR app, told Murphy the program was "designed to help college coaches, high school athletes and their advisers simplify the process and find good matches" during recruitment.

"There's no better person to talk about recruiting than someone who has recently gone through the process or is currently going through the process," Sackville said. "It's been a resounding success so far, and after talking with Jaden it was a literal no-brainer to work with him."

Rashada also told Murphy he is excited to promote the AIR app and hopes his new endorsement deal is the first of many for high school athletes. 

"It feels pretty good," Rashada said. "Maybe it can open up more opportunities for others and people can be more aware of it. It's a blessing to be able to make some money and promote a good brand."

https://twitter.com/jadenrashada/status/1473342326881742851

Rashada is also partnering with Safeway grocery stores to provide gift cards to help homeless people in Northern California, per Murphy. 

The 6'4", 179-pound quarterback told Murphy he plans to narrow down his list of potential colleges over the next couple of months. According to 247Sports, he has received offers from Arizona State, Auburn, Oklahoma, Penn State, UCLA, Oregon and more. 

Rashada is the No. 5 quarterback in the 2023 class, per 247Sports. Arch Manning, Malachi Nelson, Dante Moore and Nicholas Iamaleava are ranked above him. Rashada is also the fifth-ranked prospect out of California and is ranked 41st nationally.  

An investigation by the Ohio Department of Education determined that "Bishop Sycamore [High School] is not a school as it purports on paper to be," per Tom Schad of USA Today.

Bishop Sycamore gained national headlines in August when the football team suffered a 58-0 blowout loss to IMG Academy on ESPN. The network later said it was a mistake to put the team on television after the program lied about its quality, allegedly saying it had multiple Division I prospects. 

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine took notice, asking the department of education to investigate whether the school meets minimum standards to operate. 

The investigation not only determined it is not a school, but also recommended "potential legal action" against Bishop Sycamore through the Attorney General's office, per Schad.

Bishop Sycamore fired head coach Roy Johnson after the loss to IMG. Beyond the results on the field, the squad played two games in three days and the coach reportedly did a poor job of tracking player injuries. The ESPN appearance also raised questions about the school, its administrators and its curriculum.

After the increased scrutiny, school founder and director Andre Peterson defended it, telling WKYC the school had 60 students and was "mostly online."

However, after Tyren Jackson took over as head coach, he clarified the program's standing.

"We do not offer curriculum," he told Jamie Ostroff of NBC4. "We are not a school. That’s not what Bishop Sycamore is, and I think that’s what the biggest misconception about us was, and that was our fault. Because that was a mistake on paperwork."

Per WKYC's Ben Axelrod, the state's investigation found "no evidence that Bishop Sycamore High School actually enrolled students or had a physical location." 

In September, production company SMAC Entertainment acquired the exclusive rights to Johnson's story and will produce a documentary on the Bishop Sycamore saga.   

A change.org petition is looking to change the name of the football stadium at Oxford High School after Tate Myre, one of the students killed in Tuesday's school shooting, per Jared Purcell of MLive.com.

Four students have died after a 15-year-old boy allegedly shot at least 11 people at the Oxford, Michigan school on Tuesday, per CNN.

Oxford Football wrote about Myre, who was a member of the team, on Twitter:

It is with great grief that one of the victims of the tragic event at OHS today was one of our own, Tate Myre. Tate was on varsity since his freshman year and was an honor student. Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all. You will be missed, Tate 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/AKJCH1UWBG

— Oxford Football (@OxfordFBall) December 1, 2021

The petition said Myre was "killed in an attempt to disarm the shooter," and he "put his life in danger to try and help the thousands of other students."

Myre was a running back and linebacker on the football team in the class of 2023. He had posted on his own account about a recruiting trip to Toledo over the weekend. 

The football venue is currently named Wildcat Stadium after the school's mascot.   

A student at Mater Dei High School in California suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple gashes over his eye, a concussion and a broken nose in the aftermath of a hazing ritual that may indicate wider problems with the culture of the school's football team.

Scott M. Reid of the Orange County Register reported the story, noting the player participated in a hazing ritual called "Bodies." The ritual traditionally requires players to fight each other by exchanging punches in the torso between the hips and shoulders.

The player who suffered the injuries in February was approximately 50 pounds lighter than his opponent, whom he said he had never met prior to the hazing ritual. Per Reid, video of the fight shows the bigger player hit the smaller one in the side of the head and face after throwing him down to the ground.

What's more, players can be heard using racial slurs directed at the player who suffered the injuries even though he is white.

The injuries the player suffered required surgery, and a Santa Ana Police Department investigator recommended felony battery charges against the other player who dealt the blows, per Reid. The smaller player withdrew from the school, while the other player remains on the undefeated football team.

Despite the recommendation from the investigator, the Orange County District Attorney's Office has no plans to file charges.

The injured player's family filed a lawsuit against the school alleging negligence, negligence per se-hazing in violation of the California penal code, negligent failure to warn, train or educate, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, per Reid.

According to the court filing, Mater Dei trainer Kevin Anderson delayed treatment of the injuries after the fight and even told administrators to hold off on contacting the injured player's parents. The parents were not contacted for 90 minutes after the fight.

"Anderson knew how badly [Player 1's] injuries looked and that he was clearly involved in a violent altercation," the court filing said. "Thus, in an effort to shield its No. 1 ranked football team from scrutiny, efforts were made to downplay and/or cover up the latest incident caused by the athletic department's toxic culture."

Mater Dei dean of students Tim O'Hara eventually contacted the injured player's father and said his son was suspended. According to a physician's note, the player was physically unable to attend school at the time.

The lawsuit attempts to highlight problems with the culture at the school, especially when it comes to protecting the dominant football program's image. 

The police report said other players told the injured student not to "snitch" on them. Head football coach Bruce Rollinson and athletic director Kevin Kiernan initially refused to cooperate with the Santa Ana Police Department but eventually only did so two months later.

Rollinson denied even knowing about Bodies and other hazing rituals at the school, although the court filing said he previously told the injured player's father, "If I had a hundred dollars for every time these kids played Bodies or Slappies, I'd be a millionaire."

The suit also states that the coach told the injured player's father he was in a "bind" because the other player who participated in the ritual was the son of one of the volunteer coaches. The police report also said video of the incident was given to linebackers coach Pat Dunbar in February, months before Rollinson was interviewed.

Per Reid, the other player's father told police in February that the issue "had already been handled by the school." His son refused to be interviewed by the police, citing his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights.

"This incident [shows] that Mater Dei is more concerned about protecting its brand as the top-ranked football program in the country than protecting its students," attorney Brian L. Williams said.

Reid noted Mater Dei has also faced multiple civil lawsuits from former students who said they were sexually abused by school employees.

"Mater Dei has a culture of lies and secrecy and this case is right out of their playbook," the player's attorney Michael Reck said. "They've covered up sexual abuse, they've covered up violence and now they're covering up hazing to protect the glory of the football team."     

The Inglewood (California) High School football team obliterated Inglewood Morningside High School 106-0 on Friday, and now, the school's principal and head coach are apologizing for running up the score. 

"We did not conduct ourselves with sportsmanship and integrity and the final score was unacceptable," Inglewood High principal Debra Tate wrote Tuesday in a statement, according to USA Today's Josh Peter and Chris Bumbaca. "Coach James has also offered his apologies to the Morningside High School football program and the larger school community. ...

"Our administration will work with our coaches to ensure that these mistakes are not repeated in the future, and that the Inglewood High School program conducts itself with the highest level of sportsmanship and integrity going forward."

Inglewood jumped out to a whopping 59-0 lead in the first quarter of Friday's game and didn't take its foot off the gas. UCLA-committed quarterback Justyn Martin tossed 13 touchdowns in the win. 

Morningside coach Brian Collins was disappointed that Inglewood ran up the score, saying to the Los Angeles Times that "it was a classless move." The California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section, which governs Southern California high school sports, also expressed frustration and disappointment with the school, saying in a statement that it expects games to be played "under the strictest code of good sportsmanship," per ABC 7 Los Angeles. 

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale even weighed in on the matter: 

How can the Coaching staff of INGLEWOOD HS California feel good about themselves ?They beat MORNINGSIDE HS 106-0.Their QB threw for 13 TD’s & while up 104-0 THEY GO FOR 2 ! SICKENING & a DISGRACE to the Title of COACH! Congrats on teaching good sportsmanship .U SHOULD BE FIRED!

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) October 31, 2021

While the story is getting plenty of attention, Morningside player Dayvon Scruggs told ABC 7 that he believes it's not as big of a deal as the media is making it out to be. 

Inglewood now owns high school football's highest-scoring game in the last five years. In 2019, Hilo High School in Hawaii defeated Waiakea High School 104-0, which was the most points scored in a game since 2015. 

The highest-scoring game in high school football history occurred in 1927 when Haven High School in Kansas defeated Sylvia High School 256-0. 

Future college (and maybe NFL) defenses better look out: This Manning has wheels.

Arch Manning showed off his scrambling ability in Friday night's game against Berkley Prep, ripping off a 68-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

ARCH MANNING TO THE HOUSE 💥 pic.twitter.com/Q6FAyThtRm

— ESPN (@espn) October 23, 2021

The next generation of Manning is the top overall player in the 2023 high school class, per 247Sports. His combination of size, passing ability and surprising athleticism have scouts gushing about his ability to step right in and star two years from now at the college level.

Georgia's Kirby Smart was among the people in attendance for the Friday night showcase broadcasted on ESPNU.

While the game was not the best showing for Manning overall—the undefeated Berkley Prep dominated throughout, and Manning threw an interception—his scrambling ability was on full display, and he flashed with the occasional tough throw.

Three men and one woman were injured in a shooting Friday night at a high school football game between Vigor High School and Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama.

"This type of gun violence is not going to be tolerated, and as the new chief, we will be very serious about it," Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine said Friday night, according to WKRG's Carey Cox. "If you're involved in this in any way, you need to turn yourself in."

At least one of the people shot suffered life-threatening injuries. Two of the people wounded are juveniles.

Several shots were fired just before 10 p.m. on the west concourse at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, leading to fans scattering onto the field and a delay in the game. Prine said at least two suspects fled the scene in a white sedan but have not been identified.

Ladd-Peebles Stadium was previously the site of a shooting in which nine people were injured in 2019. Metal detectors were installed at the stadium following that incident. It's unclear how the gun(s) got through detection Friday.