Police investigate parking lot fight after Montgomery County girls' flag football game
ROCKVILLE, Md. - A girls' flag football game between Poolesville and Clarksburg ended in a parking lot fight and police investigation in Montgomery County.
What we know:
Police said six people, students and adults, were involved in the altercation.
One of the Clarksburg players and their mom said they were followed and harassed after winning the game. Things got out of control when a woman used anti-transgender slurs.
The only weapon used in the fight was a cowbell.
What they're saying:
"They take out their phones, they start recording the children. The woman that was following us starts calling one of the Clarksburg players a tranny. I heard her say that two or three times," said mother Candice Prather.
"She snatched the cowbell out of my mom’s hand, starting hitting me with the cowbell while she was on the floor," said Candice’s daughter, Rianna Prather, a senior at Clarksburg High School and flag football player.
"The woman was calling my daughter a B—; she then said, ‘hit me B—,’ to my daughter," Candice recalled. "I said, ‘Hey, that’s my daughter.’ She then elbowed me."
The fight happened Monday night in the parking lot of Poolesville High School after a girls' flag football game between Poolesville and Clarksburg.
"There was no protection, no security, no administrator, and Poolesville just sat there and watched and didn't do anything," Rianna Prather said.
The principals of both schools sent letters home condemning the behavior. Both emphasized that it’s deeply concerning, and that competition never excuses violence.
Rianna Prather said two of her teammates involved in the altercation were victims. However, they were still disciplined while the investigation was ongoing and made to sit out a Thursday night game, one where a college coach was coming to watch.
"It didn’t feel right. It felt like we were being punished," said Rianna Prather. "They could have done more to postpone the game. Our coach wasn't even allowed to be there and coach, and I feel like it was a very unfair situation."
Clarksburg is back-to-back state champions and won the game against Poolesville on Monday.
What's next:
Montgomery County police said no arrests were made, but the Prathers are planning to press charges against the woman involved.
"Very frustrating, because I don't feel like our girls were protected at all," Candice Prather said. "I feel like they were almost targeted because our team has had such success in the county and it definitely felt like a targeted situation."
The woman reportedly took herself to the hospital for treatment after the altercation, but the extent of her injuries is unclear.
"Per standard practice, [Montgomery County Public Schools] withheld a coach and several players from practices and a game while conducting our investigation. Because other individuals involved in this incident are adults not enrolled in or employed by MCPS, any further inquiries regarding those individuals should be directed to the MCPD," the school district said in a statement.
Read the full letter from the schools' principals below:
The Source: Information in this article is from Montgomery County Police and original FOX 5 DC reporting.