A football game between Gardena Serra and Sierra Canyon High School in California took a strange turn on Friday night, when all 11 offensive players for Sierra Canyon dropped to the field, afflicted with fake cramps in order to mock the seemingly unrealistic number of cramps that the Gardena Serra players had claimed during the game.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Gardena Serra defensive players had stopped play several times throughout the night, complaining of cramps. The constant stopping slowed down Sierra Canyon’s offensive drives. Sierra Canyon head coach Jon Ellinghouse was fed up with the delays when he directed his offense to drop to the ground and pretend to have cramps, simultaneously.
Gardena Serra head coach Scott Altenberg had to be restrained as he attempted to run onto the field, and 15-yard penalties were called on both teams as a result.
In the end, Sierra Canyon came away with a 30-0 win over Gardena Serra, but Ellinghouse admitted he “regrets having his players engage in the fake cramps.”
Altenberg denied all accusations that his players were faking the myriad cramps. Said Altenberg, “I’m not that kind of coach.”
Despite Altenberg’s denial, Ellinghouse and the Sierra Canyon team couldn’t deny that the Gardena Serra cramps always seemed to come when Trailblazers were in the redzone or a time-sensitive offensive position. And, none of Gardena Serra’s offensive players ever stopped play for cramping.
