ROSSVILLE, Ga. _ Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said Monday his office made progress in the investigation of an alleged assault and battery of two teens following the Ridgeland and Ringgold football game in Rossville, Ga. on Friday.
Sheriff Wilson said his investigators met with school officials and coaches from both Ooltewah and Ridgeland Monday and reviewed video tape of the incident.
He said that 10 to 12 males, believed to be from the Ooltewah area, approached two Ridgeland players on the field following the Ringgold and Ridgeland game. Investigators confirmed Monday that at least seven Ooltewah football players were present at the game, according to Ridgeland officials.
The sheriff said members of the Ooltewah contingent "were challenging" the Ridgeland players verbally and that one of the Owls players dates a Ridgeland girl.
Sheriff Wilson said his Ridgeland School Resource Officer helped prevent any type of encounter between the Ooltewah contingent and two Panthers players who were targeted on the field following the game.
He said the players went on to the locker room and an incident broke out between two Ridgeland students that was unrelated. He said after the SRO broke that incident up he heard screaming coming from near the rear entrance to the high school.
The sheriff said that a 19-year-old male and a 15-year-old female were "random victims" assaulted in the parking lot near the school. Sheriff Wilson said the 15-year-old girl suffered a broken jaw and a broken nose, and her 19-year-old brother received broken teeth and facial damage.
The sheriff said the attackers then fled the scene through the school.
Felony charges are pending, including aggravated battery, according to the sheriff.
On Monday, Walker County investigators met with school officials, coaches and law enforcement representatives of Ridgeland and Ooltewah at Ridgeland where they reviewed video tape in an effort to identify those involved.
"This was a productive meeting," the sheriff said.
Both victims were also interviewed by investigators on Monday.
Ooltewah football coach Benny Monroe said Sunday morning that he had gone to watch Farragot and Bearden play in Knoxville Friday. He said his wife called him while he was on the way back to tell him somebody called into a local radio show and said Ooltewah players were involved in a fight at Ridgeland.
Monroe said he has talked to five of his players personally who said they were at the Ridgeland football game, but he was told that none was involved in a fight. He said these five players "would probably tell the truth."
"They said there may have been Ooltewah people involved, but not players," Monroe said. "I do have two players who I had suspended from the team (in the past) that might have been involved."
However, Monroe said he was not been told the two former players were involved in the alleged attack.
"We did have players go to the game and one said they were down there goofing off," he said. "If I find out I had a player who knocked somebody's teeth out they will be off the team."
However, Monroe said he would not suspend players for "being rowdy," referring to the reported verbal exchange between Ooltewah players and Ridgeland players following the game. Ooltewah has only nine football games this season and it was the Owls second bye week in the season.
Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis said the incident Friday was unfortunate and should not have happened.
His team had just defeated 7-AAAA foe Ringgold 30-10 before an overflow crowd estimated at more than 5,000 people.
"Our football team, community and our fans were enjoying one of our greatest wins on a Friday night filled with atmosphere," Mariakis said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were injured and hopefully law enforcement will get to the bottom of the situation soon."
Mariakis said he was proud of his players, coaches and parents and the way they handled this incident.
The veteran coach said a group of youngsters came on the field following the game and began yelling at some of his players.
"Some of our coaches saw the group on the field while we were enjoying a big win," Mariakis said. "I'm proud our players didn’t respond to the jeers and threats made towards them."
He said his team was fortunate that his coaches saw what was happening and escorted the players to the locker room.
A friend of the two injured in the alleged attack said the teens did not have any medical insurance.
Ridgeland (3-0) travels to Northwest Whitfield (3-0) for a key 7-AAAA game on Friday. Ooltewah (2-0) visits William Blount (3-0) on Friday.
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