THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008
SPORTS
5B
HIGH SCHOOL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hazing, sodomy scandal stuns New Mexico town
Rick Romero, superintendent of Las Vegas Public Schools in Las Vegas, N.M., stands at Robertson High School's Cardinal Stadium in Las Vegas, N.M. Six high school football players were accused of sodomizing six younger teammates with a broomstick during training camp, but the scandal was raised to a whole new level when the coaches were accused of turning a blind eye to the hazing.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ecutors are considering charges against adults and youngsters alike.
LAS VEGAS, N.M. — It was shocking enough when six high school football players were accused of sodomizing six younger teammates with a broomstick during training camp. But the scandal was raised to a whole new level when the coaches were accused of turning a blind eye to the hazing.
Since then, Robertson High's head football coach and all five assistants have resigned, and pros-
The incident has turned student against student in the town of 14,000, and subjected some of the school'sathlete
to lewd taunts from spectators.
"I'm very sad, so very sad for these young men," said Veronica Sanchez, a retiree who knows one of the victims and one of the accused. Her friends and family, she said, are split "kind of 50-50" on whether to blame the coaching staff or the older players.
According to state police reports, a group of juniors assaulted several younger teammates over two days, holding the victims down while a broomstick was forced into their rectums over their athletic shorts.
Police did not find out about it from school officials; instead, a state police officer whose son is on the team learned of the allegations through his wife, a camp volunteer.
Several residents declined to give their names but expressed disbelief, frustration and embarrassment over the case, along with anger — some directed at the coaches, some at the media inquiring about the scandal.
"These are young kids in a difficult, difficult environment... They certainly didn't want to be exposed in this way."
The alleged ringleader was expelled from school. The others
apelled from school. The others — some of them veteran members of the highly successful team — were suspended through the end of the school year. The six victims returned to the team.
On the field, the Cardinals — who played in the state championship game in each of the past three years, winning the title in 2005 and 2006 — have struggled, losing their first three contests by lopsided scores of 51-7, 34-6 and 35-13.
School Superintendent Rick Romero said spectators at some opposing schools have taunted the Robertson girls' soccer team and a middle school girls' volleyball team with "references to broom-
The scandal unfolded at a fourday, mid-August preseason training camp in the mountains west of Las Vegas, a predominantly Hispanic, once-booming Old West town 60 miles from Santa Fe, now known for its stately Victorian homes.
"These are young kids in a difficult, difficult environment," said Bob Rothstein, an attorney for several victims' families. "They have to go to school every day and they're still trying to play football on the team. They certainly didn't want to be exposed in this way."
sticks and other very inappropriate sexual innuendoes"
A school district investigation released earlier this month accused the coaching staff of not adequately supervising the players and failing to look into the initial reports of hazing. District Attorney Henry Valdez in Santa Fe said coaches and school administrators could face charges of failing to report child sexual abuse.
According to a state police report, an assistant coach told the
BOB ROTHSTEIN
Attorney
other coaches during training camp "that some sort of hazing incident involving broomssticks was happening." Another coach walked into a cabin to see "a player on his stomach on the
ground, with his legs spread open," while a teammate held a broomstick, the police report said. The coach told the players to "cut it out" and the group broke up.
Romero said the coaches believed they had intervened in time to stop a hazing incident. But "as our investigation has unfolded, we learned that it had already happened," the superintendent said.
That afternoon, according to the police report, head coach Ray Woods called the players together and told them that if any hazing was going on, it needed to stop.
When Woods asked if anyone had been violated, one 15-year-old player raised his hand. But before the boy could elaborate, other players began making jokes, the report said. Several coaches told investigators that because of the laughter from the players, they didn't believe the allegations were serious and took no further action.
On Day 4 of what was supposed to be a five-day camp. Woods was approached by concerned parents. He gathered the boys again, insisting they identify those involved. Woods immediately kicked several players off the team, training camp was cut short, and the squad was put on a bus and taken back to the school.
There they were met by a group of parents, four state police cars and at least eight uniformed officers, plus Capt. Toby Dolan, who had learned of the allegations through his wife.
In an interview, Romero said school officials did not immediately notify authorities because they were not sure exactly what had happened.
"We were doing things based on the best information we had," he said. "At that time, neither I nor the athletic director, nor, I believe, the head coach knew the degree of the severity of the actions."
"This was a very violent, very serious form of bullying," the superintendent said. "Until we do a better job of identifying and dealing with it, this is not going to be the last time we hear about it."
Huard expected to get start against undefeated Broncos
NFL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, passes during an NFL game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. Chiefs coach Herm Edwards wouldn't confirm who would start at quarterback when the Chiefs play the Denver Broncos this week.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Saddled with a 12-game losing streak, the rebuilding Kansas City Chiefs may decide they need a win more than a long look at a young quarterback.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Without coming right out and saying so, coach Herm Edwards strongly hinted Tuesday that veteran Damon Huard would probably get the nod on Sunday against Denver and that second-year man Tyler Thigpen would return to the bench after one start.
"I'll decide on that tomorrow. Sleep on it a little bit more," Edwards said. "I'm leaning that way, I've got to address the team, exactly what we're going to do."
Most of the players probably feel that Huard gives them the best chance of upsetting the unbeaten Broncos and snapping the longest losing skid in franchise history. After Brodie Croyle was injured in the season opener at New England, Huard came in and nearly pulled off an improbable victory before losing 17-10.
In eight starts for an injured Trent Green in 2006, Huard was 5-3.
"When you lose your starting
But making the switch also means the Chiefs (0-3) will not have had the same man start at quarterback two games in a row all year, a confusing lack of continuity for what is already the youngest team in the NFL.
turnovers so far this year, and that's hurting us. We gave up 17 in that game."
quarter back, it's tough." Edwards said. "Then you have to move on, and that's what we've done. What's hurt us more than anything else, I think, when you look at
"You anticipated that the first time the guy starts, that he's going to be a little high-strung. And he was," Edwards said. "He threw a lot of high balls. He threw some balls that you wish you could take back. We've given up 30 points on
HERM EDWARDS Chiefs coach
Huard hit 10 of 16 passes for 135 yards against Oakland on Sept. 14 before hurting his neck and leaving the game. Although much more
us, we haven't made a lot of explosion plays in the passing game. I think we have exactly three plays over 20 yards in passing. We have eight runs over 10 yards."
In his first NFL start last week at Atlanta, Thigpen was 14-for-36 for 128 yards and a touchdown in a 38-14 loss. He played much better after a rough beginning. But he also threw three interceptions, including one that was returned 10 yards for the Falcons' final touchdown.
"When you lose your starting quarterback, it's tough. Then you have to move on, and that's what we've done."
experienced, he's also less mobile than Thigpen or Croyle, who is expected to be out until Oct. 19 against Tennessee.
process the Chiefs began this year and said he wanted to get a look at the former seventh-round pick from tiny Coastal Carolina.
Presumably, the same argument could be made this week.
"I thought what he did before the half, he did a great job moving the team," Edwards said. "Then he came out in the third quarter and moved the team. So he did some things. We got down there two more times. So I thought we found out a lot about him. He found out a lot about himself, too, and what it's going to take to play in this league."
In the meantime, fans are restless and showing little patience with what the Chiefs are trying to do. Edwards insisted he will stay the course and continue playing young players, although perhaps not at quarterback.
"I'm patient with this whole process, and it is a process," he said. "This whole situation that we're in right now is a process. Sometimes, if you don't realize that, you won't be patient. You'll panic. And I'm not a panic kind of guy. When you panic, you make wrong decisions."
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