Posted on: Friday, February 18, 2005
Konawaena placed on one-year probation
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Advertiser Staff
Konawaena High School's boys basketball team has been put on probation for one year following an incident in which one of its players tackled a referee after he was ejected from a Feb. 9 game against Waiakea.
Big Island Interscholastic Federation president Gordon Bryson said Konawaena's probation will last through the 2006 season. Konawaena will be allowed to play in tonight's BIIF Tournament and next week's state tournament.
"I'm satisfied with the process we went through and the ruling was appropriate and we accept it," said Shawn Suzuki, Konawaena principal. "The league does need to make a statement."
The punishment for violating probation will depend on its seriousness, according to Bryson. He said it could range from disqualifying the basketball team from postseason play to banning the team from the league.
The decision was reached after a three-hour emergency meeting Wednesday in which all 16 principals from BIIF schools attended.
"The committee basically went through and watched the full tape and talked with Waiakea and Kona," said Bryson, principal at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy.
Bryson said the group decided it needed to write an addendum to its bylaws to address such instances.
Bryson said a four-member executive committee will meet Sunday to "look at the language and make sure it's what it should be."
"In addition, we adopted Kona's treatment of itself as a guideline as to what other schools should consider," Bryson said.
The probation stems from an incident in which Konawaena player Kainoa Abril, 18, tackled referee Mason Souza after Abril was ejected from a game between host Konawaena and Waiakea Feb. 9.
The sequence was captured by home video and shown on television several times earlier this week.
The video shows Abril pushing a player while running down court, then throwing an elbow to the back of the head of the player. Abril then charges after the player again. At that point, both players are ejected.
After being sent to the bench, Abril comes charging from off camera and slams into Souza.
Souza filed a complaint with police, alleging Abril assaulted him during the game.
The school dismissed Abril from the team and said it would not allow the senior to play any more sports.
Abril said he has been suspended from school. His mother, Judy, said the family plans to file an appeal.
Bryson said the family wants Konawaena to reconsider Abril's expulsion from school, not his reinstatement to the team.
