A coach being suspending for running up the score isn't something that you see every day, but that's exactly what happened to Plainedge High School's Rob Shaver. The coach of the Nassau County, N.Y. school was suspended after his team beat previously undefeated South Side, 61-13, on Oct. 25, according to FOX 5 NY.
There is a county policy that states if a team wins by more than 42 points, they have to explain why the final score is so lopsided. Plainedge, which also came into the game without a loss, didn't exactly have an explanation.
"Their first team played in the fourth quarter… and I think that's what swayed the committee," executive director of Section VIII Athletics Pat Pizzarelli told FOX 5 NY. "Is it worth beating a team 70–0? Isn't 30 or 40 points enough?"
Plainedge, which is ranked No. 12 in New York by MaxPreps, isn't looking to appeal the suspension, so Shaver he will miss the team's next game. Parents of Plainedge football players were quick to defend their coach's decisions.
"Coach Shaver is an honorable, standup guy. He coached all three of my children, two who have gone on to play Division I athletics," one man said of Shaver to FOX 5 NY. "This rule doesn't work. It hasn't worked elsewhere and it shouldn't be on Long Island."
Another parent of a player added that the rule "isn't teaching them life lessons. It's a joke."
South Side head coach Phil Onesto also did not have any issue with Plainedge running up the score either.
"I had no issues with how he was running his team," the coach told FOX 5 NY. "Even after the game, Coach Shaver and I, we spoke and there was no bad blood. I congratulated him on the win and wished him luck next week."
