By Michael Lindsay
Wilson Daily TimesWILSON - Hunt High School head football coach Randy Raper ran on to the field to break up a fight during Saturday evening's 3-A state playoff soccer match between Hunt and Gray's Creek at Hunt High.
Late in the first 10-minute overtime of the match, two opposing players, one of whom was Raper's daughter, were involved in an on-field scuffle.
Raper came onto the field to separate the players and made contact with one of the Gray's Creek players, which sent her to the ground, according to a Wilson County sheriff's report which was filed following the incident.
Neither player was injured, and no charges were filed against Raper.
"Mr. Raper stated that after the fight had been going on for several moments and no one was doing anything to break it up, he ran out onto the field to separate the girls and knocked (Chassidy Eaton) down," the report states.
Raper told deputies that knocking the player down was not intentional and that he wasn't trying to hurt anyone, the report states.
According to North Carolina law, a person may intervene to prevent a breach of the peace or a crime involving physical injury to another person.
The game official called the teams to their benches following the incident and asked Raper to leave the spectator area. The official told Hunt's soccer coach Drew Nick that Raper had to be "out of sight, out of mind," before play would resume.
Raper left the soccer field area, but stayed near the school the remainder of the game at the request of the sheriff's deputies, who were called to the scene.
Both players were ejected, and after a 15-minute suspension in play, the teams retook the field.
In the sheriff's report, Magistrate Monica Mills, who was attending the game, stated that the fight between the players lasted for four or five minutes.
Raper was unavailable for comment this morning, while Hunt Athletic Director Stevie Hinnant said the incident was under review and that he was unable to comment further at this time.
Gray's Creek Athletic Director Mark Pepper did not respond to a message left on his voicemail at the school.
A report on the incident has been filed with the N.C. High School Athletic Association.
Gina Childress contributed to this report
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