Fight at Andress-Jefferson soccer game leads to suspension of 12 players

The El Paso Independent School District has suspended 12 varsity soccer players and kicked one off the team after a disturbing fight involving the Andress and Jefferson High varsity soccer teams.

It occurred Tuesday night at Jefferson and left one player in the hospital with serious injuries.

According to Jefferson students, the fight started after Silver Foxes star junior Edgar Perez was fouled hard. Both sidelines quickly emptied and Perez was either punched or kicked in the face by an Andress player, resulting in a broken jaw that required surgery on Wednesday at University Medical Center.

Six players on each team, who left the bench during the brawl, have received two game suspensions and will not be allowed to play in the Jefferson vs. Andress rematch. The district also said the Andress player responsible for the injuries to Perez has been removed from the team.

“All the kids started fighting and the administrators couldn’t handle it,” Jefferson student Marco Cano told ABC-7. “The parents started to get involved and they actually started to get in a fight with the other parents.”

“Coaches and adults that went onto the field were there trying to help because it had escalated,” said EPISD spokesperson Melissa Martinez.

Both teams are scheduled to play on Friday.