If you’re looking for answers as to why a Portland, Oregon high school football player lit up an opponent who carried an American flag onto the field this past Friday night, you’re out of luck.
OutKick’s attempt to get answers from Jefferson High School, where the player attends, were left unanswered on Monday. An attempt to reach Jefferson Athletic Director Donnie Siel Monday afternoon by phone went unanswered, as did an attempt to reach Jefferson principal Drake Shelton. A message left for his office was not returned.
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the state school athletic governing body, told OutKick in a statement that it “is aware of the pre-game incident” and noted that the player was ejected and didn’t play in the game. “Rivalry game or not, there’s no place for this behavior before, during, or after an interscholastic contest,” the OSAA added.
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American football on green grass against a U.S. flag background. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The remaining question that many have is: Was a Grant High School football player targeted because he carried an American flag onto the field before a game against the Jefferson Democrats?
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Jefferson High School has not responded to OutKick’s questions about the situation.
With the school not talking and the football team’s Instagram page now deleted, it’s not a question that’s easily answered. All we’re left with are screenshots from the Jefferson football account that were saved by Taren Feist, an Oregon-based campaign manager, before they were also reportedly deleted.
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“The video was not intended to disrespect the American flag,” the now-deleted Jefferson Instagram page stated. “However, there was disrespect shown toward Jefferson by Grant players and members of their coaching staff before the game, and if you were there to witness what happened, you would understand the full context.
“There was an option to go around the field, but they chose not to. This was our last game ever on Jefferson Field, our Senior Night, and Homecoming. This was a special and emotional night for our school, our seniors, our players, and our community. What happened before the game was not appropriate, especially given the significance of the occasion. If you have an issue with the video or with me personally for posting it, you can address that with me directly.
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“I am willing to take accountability for my own actions and for the content I choose to post. However, you will not use this situation as an excuse to be racist toward my students, my players, our staff, or anyone who represents Jefferson. They do not deserve to be targeted or disrespected because of a rivalry or a video posted online.
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“At Jefferson, we are proud of who we are. We are Black, Hispanic, white, and people from many different backgrounds who come together as one school and one community. Our diversity is something to be proud of, not something to attack.”
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As for the game itself, Grant won 35-14. Jefferson’s record dropped to 1-6; Grant is 6-1.