B8

ANDREW MCGILLIGAN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

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ROTHESAY - The Rothesay Regional Police Force wants students to keep the aggression on the football field during a game and not in the community during the noon hour.

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file/Telegraph-Journal

Football rivals Rothesay High and Kennebecasis Valley High may not have the chance to meet on the gridiron after police were called Thursday to break up a crowd of students.

Rothesay police responded to calls Thursday over the lunch hour of students from both high schools gathering in preparation for a fight.

"Police responded and dispersed the crowd, but in one occasion a student was assaulted," said inspector Jeff Porter. "We're presently doing an investigation."

The incidents could put a halt to a game between the Kennebecasis Valley High Crusaders and Rothesay High Red Hawks men's football teams. Rothesay Police had planned to sponsor a game between the two rivals, but in light of the incidents the idea is being reconsidered.

"We thought it would be a nice way to cap off the season for the players," said deputy chief Steve Palmer. "Unfortunately, this situation has come up and put a damper on the game."

The New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association schedule is winding down as Rothesay played its final game Friday with KVHS wrapping up its season today. Neither team is going to make the playoffs and by virtue of the league being realigned, the two squads didn't face one another this season.

The idea came to the police department as the coaching staff for the Crusaders is staffed by members of the police department including head coach and former Canadian Football League player Eugene Belliveau.

"Obviously there's a natural rivalry with Rothesay," Palmer said. "For some reason KVHS wasn't scheduled to play Rothesay, Saint John High, St. Malachy's or Simonds."

The Crusaders play out of the West Division of the Southwest Regional League while Rothesay is in the South Division.

"We thought the least we could do is have a game between the two closest rivals," Palmer said. "However, we don't want to sponsor a game and have some type of incident go on."

No time frame has been given for a decision on whether the game will proceed.