League punishes Texas high school football player who hit official

The Texas high school player who was ejected from a game, went back on the field and hit an official has received more stern penalties.

As have his coach and school.

During an at-times tense hearing on Monday, the University Interscholastic League voted unanimously to suspend Edinburg High School defensive lineman Emmanuel Duron from all UIL activities for the rest of his senior academic year, The Monitor in in McAllen, Texas, reported.

Duron’s coach, JJ Leija, received a one-year probation period beginning at the start of the 2021-22 academic year. Additionally, Edinburg High’s athletic programs will go on a probationary period that will begin immediately and conclude at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

“I’d like to say that I’m sorry for what happened to my coaches, my family and to the UIL,” Duron said Monday.

Duron already faces assault charges from the Dec. 3 incident in which he knocked an official to the field after the player received a personal foul and ejection from a District 31-6A zone play-in game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High.

The 18-year-old was charged with class A assault during an arraignment and booked into Hidalgo County jail before posting a $10,000 bond.

According to the San Antonio Express-News, Duron was suspended from school for three days and he will attend weekly counseling sessions as part of a behavioral intervention plan.

This was not the first incident for Duron.

In a soccer match against Edinburg Vela during the 2019-20 academic year, Duron slapped a red card out of an official’s hand and shoved the official’s chest with both hands before being removed from the field by coaches.

Duron was suspended from participating in soccer for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

Read more at usatoday.com