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File photo of the Brick Board of Education offices.(Photo: THOMAS P. COSTELLO, THOMAS P. COSTELLO / ASBURY PARK)Buy Photo
BRICK - A long-running feud between two Brick high schools erupted into violence Saturday during a football game and the resulting brawl quickly spread from the stands to social media.
Fists flew when a student grabbed a cherished flag from rivals and a tussle broke out during the Brick Memorial versus Brick Township football game.
Brick Memorial senior Tyler Geoff watched the scuffle and said he felt disgusted.
"These kids need to be suspended," Geoff wrote on Twitter when he shared a video originally posted on Snapchat with Mayor John G. Ducey.
The eight-second clip shows students throwing punches at a shirtless teenager in camouflage pants. The video does not make clear what triggered the fight.
Geoff and Acting Superintendent Dennis Filippone said it was an attempt to snatch the flag that spurred the violence.
Filippone said 10 students from both Brick Memorial and Brick Township high schools were involved in the fight.
"We've had some inappropriate chants (in the past), but we've never had any physical violence at a game prior to this," he said.
All of the students have been identified and disciplined, Filippone said. No one was seriously injured, he said. Police were notified, but no charges were pressed against the students, he added.
"It was inappropriate. We're disappointed and embarrassed by it," the acting superintendent said. "We're going to take steps to make sure this doesn't happen again."
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District administrators are finalizing a formal procedure for security at future sports events, he said. School staff and police will also be more visible to spectators at games, he said.
On Wednesday, both schools will square off again, but this time in soccer, Filippone said.
Filippone said he hopes to reduce the rivalry between Brick's high schools to a more "healthy" level by focusing on the district's existing character building and leadership programs.
"There were many, many students who stood by and watched what was happening (on Saturday), and put it on social media," he said.
Story continues below. Check out a football gallery of Brick Memorial.
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Last SlideNext SlideFilippone said he wants to see a new culture that encourages students to stop incidents like these, by reporting fights immediately to authority figures, instead of acting like spectators.
"Instead of being part of the problem, our kids should be part of the solution," he said. "I really do believe that in the long run, a bad event will end up making us a better and stronger school community, as well as regular community, because of the things we're going to do in the future."
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Amanda Oglesby: 732-557-5701; aoglesby@GannettNJ.com
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Source: Brick high school football game brawl caught on camera
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