Howard High School JV football season canceled after players charged in locker room bullying incident

BALTIMORE, Md. — Howard High School is canceling the remainder of its junior varsity football season after seven players were charged in a locker room bullying incident.

In an email to team members' families sent Wednesday, Howard High School Principal Allen Cosentino said the ongoing investigation into the locker room incident and other allegations will likely continue for several more weeks, "making it impossible to safely and reasonably restart and complete the season."

The team had previously been suspended indefinitely.

Cosentino added that there will not be call-ups from the JV team to varsity for the remainder of this season.

"I understand that this will be extremely disappointing news, particularly for those student-athletes who were not involved in inappropriate behavior, were unaware of what was occurring, or may have reported concerns that were not adequately resolved. I am deeply saddened that these students are affected by this decision," Cosentino wrote.

Howard County

Howard High School JV football players charged after locker room bullying

Blair Sabol

The alleged incident occurred before practice on Sept. 25, when a team member's mother, April Bridges, says the students went unsupervised for an hour. Videos provided to WMAR-2 News show several members of the team grabbing, picking up and trying to force another team member — Bridges' son — into the toilet.

Bridges said she has learned of other incidents. A student had brought a wrench to disassemble her son's bike and hid it in the ceiling of the locker room. During another incident, students pulled down his pants. In yet another, students sprayed bug spray inside his football helmet.

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