YOUNG COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — The Graham Independent School District Superintendent released a statement following a brawl between players of the Graham Steers and the Hirschi Huskies during their district match-up, likely sparked by racist comments on social media.

Superintendent Sonny Cruse posted the statement on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, on ParentSquare, a website used by educators to communicate with parents and guardians.

The statement addressed to students, staff, parents, and the community of Graham ISD, began by stating that Friday’s game, suspended near the end of the third quarter, would not be completed.

The game between the Hirschi Huskies and the Graham Steers was set to open district play for both teams.

Cruse then addresses comments made about Hirschi and their fans on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Friday App via the chat feature, which Cruse referred to as “vile” and “racist”.

“Without any doubt, this racist comment was abhorrent and unacceptable,” Cruse said.

Cruse then explained the lengths the district has gone to in hopes of identifying the individual responsible for publishing the racist comments but said no connection has been found between the individual who posted the comments and anyone enrolled in Graham ISD.

“Sadly, this is more than likely a case of someone using an alias and a fake email address to create an account purely as an attempt to stir up controversy and spew hatred,” Cruse said.

Cruse then addressed the conduct of the students involved in the on-field altercation.

“Although this post may have been a major factor in the increased on-the-field tension, it does not absolve anyone from their responsibility for their individual actions,” Cruse said. “As such, our student-athletes involved in the on-the-field altercation will be disciplined accordingly.”

Cruse then urged the Graham ISD community to continue to strive to become anti-racist, urging district leaders and parents to continue teaching students “not to repeat the wrongs of the past.”

“I understand that racism is the combination of social and systemic forces that converge and yield disparate outcomes for our communities,” Cruse said. “As a learning organization, we must purposefully strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues that prevent us from being an anti-racist and ethnically unbiased community.”

The full statement from Cruse can be found on Texoma’s Homepage.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as they become available.