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UIL reverses ejection of Texas high school player after video shows ref removing his helmet in play

The official involved has been removed from officiating UIL games pending the completion of the investigation, UIL officials added.

SEAGOVILLE, Texas — The University Interscholastic League (UIL) – the governing body of high school football in Texas – said Tuesday it had reversed the ejection of a high school athlete during its investigation of an "incident involving a sports official and a student athlete during the Whitney vs. Dallas Madison varsity football game."

Whitney and Dallas Madison played their game at Seagoville Stadium, according to the MaxPreps schedule.

Video posted by Karla Haynes on X – whose profile says she is the wife of Whitney Athletic Director and head coach David Haynes Jr. – shows a player bump into the referee, spin and has his helmet ripped off. Haynes says the player in the video is her son and he was ejected from the game following the incident.

UIL also said in a statement Tuesday that the official has been removed from officiating UIL games pending the completion of the investigation.

"@uiltexas how is this allowed from a ref!!!!!!! And then you eject MY SON and you literally assaulted him!!!!!!!," Haynes said in her post on X.

Another video posted in the replies by Dillon Hightower, a wide receivers coach for Whitney according to his X profile, showed another close-up angle on the incident from the opposite side.

Here are the videos:

The UIL addressed the incident Saturday morning with the following statement: 

"The UIL is aware of an incident involving a sports official and a student athlete during the Whitney vs. Dallas Madison varsity football game last night (Friday, 9/29). This situation is of great concern to us and we are actively looking into the matter."

Whitney went on to beat Dallas Madison, 56-28.

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