A fight among fans disrupted Friday night’s basketball game between City Series rivals Buchtel and Firestone high schools.
Akron police sent in additional officers to ensure order was restored among the fans in the stands and others who were milling outside the sold-out game at Buchtel High School.
Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said a fight broke among three male Firestone students who were in the stands watching the game.
Two of the students, Edwards said, were fighting with another classmate.
Officials were forced to stop play as the fight spilled out of the stands and onto the basketball court.
The incident took place with six minutes and six seconds remaining in the second quarter with Buchtel winning 18 to 15 at the time. It caused the game to be delayed for about 10 minutes before a capacity crowd at Appleby Gymnasium.
The students traded punches in the stands along with some other spectators as the three combatants made their way onto the court where police and security officers rushed in to break up the fight.
Firestone coach Dave Milo and Buchtel coach Stephen White moved their players toward their respective benches and away from the fight with help from their assistant coaches.
Firestone went on to win the game 74-65. None of the players from the Falcons or Griffins was involved in the fight.
“I have never seen that before,” White said after the game. “That is not good at all.”
Edwards said the three students were ejected from the game and escorted off school property.
No charges were filed against the students, Edwards said, but “the principals are aware of what happened and will handle it through the school board.”
Edwards said additional officers were called to the school after the fight to ensure there were no more problems.
Akron police officers were posted in the parking lot, at the ticket gate and inside the gym.
Edwards said about 200 people were turned away from the game because the stands were filled to capacity.
Akron Public Schools Superintendent David W. James was not available for comment Friday night.
Phil Trexler can be reached at ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3717.