Ridgeway football had to forfeit its Week 8 TSSAA football game against Fayette-Ware after a second-quarter fight resulted in all of Ridgeway’s players leaving the bench, according a TSSAA official’s report obtained by The Commercial Appeal. on Oct. 12.
A scuffle broke out between two players on the Ridgeway sideline near the end zone with 8:37 remaining in the second quarter on Oct. 9. According to the report, the entire Ridgeway bench ran down the sideline and quickly joined the scuffle, leaving the 25-yard-line restricted area.
The umpire witnessed a Ridgeway player "throw and land a punch", while the linesman prevented Fayette-Ware players from crossing the field to join the altercation. All Ridgeway players were ejected for leaving the bench,
and the game was ruled as a 14-7 forfeit win for Fayette-Ware.
According to the 2025-26 TSSAA Handbook, Section 7 of Article III Compliance, substitutes leaving the bench to join an altercation shall result in a $250 fine for the school. Other non-monetary disciplinary action, including probation, also may occur.
The same section states that the ejection of a student-athlete in football carries a minimum penalty of a one-game suspension. TSSAA assistant executive director Matthew Gillespie said the organization is still investigating the matter and has not confirmed whether additional disciplinary action will occur.
Ridgeway is 0-7 with its homecoming matchup against Craigmont scheduled for Oct. 16.
Head coach Jeremey Stewart is in his first year at the helm after being promotedfollowing Duron Sutton’s departure for Germantown. Attempts to reach Ridgeway High School for comment were unsuccessful.
Fayette-Ware coach Howard Bush was selected as an assistant coach in the2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Classicfeaturing stand out football players from across the Memphis area. Fayette-Ware is 3-4 ahead of Week 9.
Reach The Commercial Appeal's high school writer, Ryan Myers at ryan.myers@commercialappeal.com and on the X platform @RyanMyers_23.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ridgeway forfeits TSSAA football game after fight vs Fayette Ware in Week 8
