Lone Peak was forced to forfeit its high school football game against Bishop Gorman during the third quarter. The Las Vegas powerhouse baited the Utah-based into leaving the sideline for a brawl that never happened.
It was a bummer end to the evening but the final result was already trending in that direction anyway.
The Gaels were up three scores on the Knights when high school football officials put a stop to the contest. The No. 2-ranked team in the country was declared the winner.
Bishop Gorman baited Lone Peak.
Bishop Gorman was driving on Lone Peak with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter.
A long completion by the Gaels spilled over into the opposing sideline. The Knights absolutely should’ve been flagged for a late hit out of bounds. Their second defender got to the ball-carrier after he was already into the white paint. It was not egregious but it was late.
As you could expect, Bishop Gorman took issue with Lone Peak’s actions. Some initial chatter on the sideline quickly escalated into pushing and shoving that spilled onto the field.
A brawl that seemed inevitable never happened because the offense walked away.
Here is the play the drew the infraction. A late hit out of bounds. BUT… it also looks like @BishopGormanFB lured @LPKnightsFB into a fight.
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) September 6, 2025
I'm about to do my best @975Hans impression in the next clip…@KSLSports pic.twitter.com/wywPD9r2RD
Las Vegas high school football officials ultimately ruled the game as a forfeit after much deliberation.
I have never seen anything like this before. Bishop Gorman leading Lone Peak 35-14 with 9:25 left in the 3rd quarter and the referee calls the game. @KSLSports #GameNightLive @UHSAAinfo @BishopGormanFB @LPKnightsFB pic.twitter.com/xD9hVb9dL4
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) September 6, 2025
By rule, the game will be called if three or more players who are not on the field when the play begins come off of the sideline and enter the field of play. The Gaels were on offense during the kerfuffle so any of their involved players were already on the field. The same cannot be said for the Knights.
Officials decided that too many players from Lone Peak left the sideline. They called the game.
High school football gets chippy in Nevada.
Believe it or not, Bishop Gorman was prepared for this exact situation. Head coach Brent Browner taught his players what to do if they ever found themselves involved with any sort of dust-up.
“We technically practice that,” he said. “That sounds crazy but we have practiced that many times. I was kind of proud of the guys that when it was happening, coaches are taught to turn around and make sure kids don’t move off the sideline, which they didn’t.”
Browner was also a bit surprised by the ruling, even if it was technically correct. He thought the brief altercation would result in offsetting penalties and the game would continue. It did not. The NIAA will review all of the video of the incident to make sure it comes to a correct resolution.
“Once you come past the numbers, almost the whole team, it’s going to happen,” Browner said. “Our officials, we have a meeting about it. They talk about it. They’re very specific about what it is, the number of people. They’re going to review the tape on us to make sure we don’t forfeit. When I looked, we didn’t have a kid leave our sideline.”
Lone Peak has an opportunity to appeal the decision if it so chooses but the video does not leave much room for a legitimate case. The Gaels moved to 3-0. The Knights dropped to 3-1.