Jones Suspended for Role in Fight : Montclair Prep Back to Miss 1 Game, Must Apologize to Team

Montclair Prep running back Michael Jones has been suspended for 1 game for his participation in a bench-clearing fight that prompted officials to end Friday’s game against Norwalk with more than 4 minutes to play.

In addition to missing Saturday’s game against St. Genevieve, Jones must apologize to his teammates, according to Coach George Giannini. The junior running back, who is considered a Division I college prospect, leads the team in rushing with 446 yards in 83 carries and has scored 4 touchdowns.

Giannini also reprimanded senior receiver Ennis Howard because he was the second Mountie to participate in the fight.

Two Norwalk players quit their team after school officials spoke to them about “how to conduct themselves during games,” Norwalk Principal E. D. Eberhard said. One player was on the field when the fight broke out and the other left the bench to join the fracas, Eberhard said.

According to Giannini, who watched films of the game won by Norwalk, 20-0, a Norwalk player delivered a late hit to Jones after he was stopped short on a fourth-down play. The film stops with Jones and the Lancer player face mask to face mask before the fight broke out.

Giannini stressed that in his opinion Jones did not start the fight.

“I am not blaming Michael for the incident,” Giannini said. “Our team as a whole knows they were wrong and we are taking steps to stop this from ever happening again.”

Giannini has installed guidelines for appropriate behavior during future altercations. The second Mountie player to arrive at a fight will be suspended for 1 game and any player leaving the bench to take part in an incident will be removed from the team.

The team’s 3 captains--Tom Kilby, Jamal Swinton and Phil Kim--were responsible for notifying Jones of his punishment.

“We wanted Michael on the team because he wants to, not because he had to,” Kilby said. “It’s a setback, but I think it’s making us more of a team.”

The Southern Section office will review reports of the incident turned in by the 2 schools. Southern Section official Bill Clark said he expects his review to be completed by the end of the week.

“It’s a very sad situation for both schools,” Giannini said. “At Montclair Prep we’re not supposed to do things like that.”