Highschooler Scores Touchdown, Points to Heaven, Gets a Penalty

After Ronnie Hastie, running back for Tumwater High School, scored a touchdown, he got down on one knee and pointed towards the heavens. He was promptly called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by the officials.

“It’s something I’ve done as a tradition,” said Hastie, who has scored numerous touchdowns and done the same tradition all season without so much as a warning.

Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Interscholastic Activities Association says he’s seen the tape but hasn’t been told exactly why the penalty was called. His opinion, based on the footage, is that it was called so as not to slow the play of the game. “The point is to make sure the game goes on. Something that happens after a score or after a spectacular play or whatever, doesn’t slow down the play itself,” he said.

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