Monroe, East High Face Disqualification Review

Section V and the Rochester City School District are reviewing whether players from both teams will be disqualified after a fight during a football semifinal.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Secondary Education

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of an empty football field with white yard lines and a distant goalpost under grey sky, evoking a pause during an athletic review. — Section V and the Rochester City School District are reviewing whether players from both Monroe and East High football teams will be disqualified after a semifinal fight. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should players be disqualified from playoffs after a fight at a high school game?

A fight involving players and spectators broke out during the James Monroe High School versus East High football semifinal on Saturday. Section V and the Rochester City School District are reviewing whether players from both teams will be disqualified.

Why it matters

The review could determine whether student-athletes from both Rochester schools are eligible for upcoming games in the playoffs. Monroe High players and coaches have publicly raised concerns about how the situation is being handled compared with past fights involving other schools.

Monroe High's season record stands at 20 wins, and the Class B final is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. at St. John Fisher University. The district's review of footage and photographs is still underway to determine individual involvement.

The players

Section V

Section V is the New York State public high school athletic association sectional body overseeing the football playoffs in which the teams competed.

Rochester City School District

The Rochester City School District is the public school system serving the city of Rochester, New York, and is coordinating with Section V on the review.

NYSPHSAA

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association is the statewide body that sets rules governing student-athlete eligibility and disqualification.

The details

The fight occurred during the semifinal and involved players from both teams as well as some spectators on the sidelines. Comments on social media have called for both teams to be disqualified, and the district's athletics staff reviewed video and photographs to determine who was involved.

Saturday: Semifinal game and fight between Monroe and East High
Monday, Nov. 9: Monroe players and coaches addressed the fight publicly
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3 p.m.: Class B final at St. John Fisher University

Season Trajectory

The review follows NYSPHSAA's established process allowing reversal of a player's disqualification when misidentification is clearly shown. Its outcome could shape how the Class B bracket plays out, including the team slot still listed as TBD against Honeoye Falls-Lima.

Students and families following the program should watch for the review outcome, since it will decide whether players are eligible for the next sectional game. Parents of student-athletes may want to track updates from Section V and the district directly.

The takeaway

Clear rules and fair review processes matter when students' eligibility is at stake, and the outcome here will show how consistently those rules are applied. Watching the district's updates is the best way to know where the teams stand.

What happens next

The Class B final is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m. at St. John Fisher University, and the disqualification review outcome will determine which team fills the remaining bracket slot.