San Antonio HS Football Players, Coaches Punished for Intentional Hit on Referee

John Jay High School football players and coaches involved in organizing an intentional hit on a referee last month in San Antonio were punished Thursday.

The Associated Press' Jim Vertuno reported on the matter as former John Jay assistant coach Mack Breed was given two years' probation and suspended for the rest of the school year.

The two players who targeted umpire Robert Watts, Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, are ineligible for sports for the rest of the year as well. Mustangs head coach Gary Guttierez was not suspended, but he was assessed two years' probation.

"I never told any players to hit or take out the umpire," Breed said in a public hearing, per ESPN.com. "I said a lot of things to my players to get them motivated because they were letting the officiating get the better of them."

Moreno and Rojas both claimed in a Good Morning America interview they were told to hit the referee and that Watts was directing racial slurs at players. Breed resigned in September after school officials threatened to fire him, but he also claimed Watts used racist language toward the players.

Watts denied making such remarks prior to being blindsided by two players during a John Jay game September 4. Video footage of the incident went viral and led to the disciplinary action from the University Interscholastic League.