High School Football Team Travels 500 Miles, Loses, Gets Pepper-Sprayed By Cops

Happy Football Friday! Scratch that …

Happy High School Football Friday! That's better. Ah. Nothing like it, right? Back in a previous life, I was a high school football reporter for insufferable Gannett for about eight years. True Story. Love high school football. Hate Gannett. But LOVE high school football. 

Especially down here in Florida. It's the best. In fact, we're going to my school's homecoming game tonight. Can't wait. I'm sure I'll be welcomed back with open arms. 

Anyway, you know who wasn't welcomed with open arms? The Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions – a high school football team out of St. Louis, who traveled 500 miles to Ohio last week, lost by 14, and then got pepper sprayed after the game by a bunch of cops. 

Again, I covered high school football for a decade … never saw anything like this:

Parents aren't thrilled here 

Whoaaaaaaaaaaa Nellie! See? The first video doesn't really do it justice. But then you get that field-level view, and it's … something. 

So, where do we stand here? I hate to go against the cops, but it's not a great look. Pepper spray? Really? Seems a bit overzealous if you ask me. Nine times out of 10, these situations tend to take care of themselves. 

Boys will be boys, and football players will be football players. And usually, when football players lose, they get pissed. And they get a little mouthy after the game. And sometimes things spiral a bit. 

But there are a ton of adults there, on both sides. The situation probably didn't call for pepper spray. 

"I couldn't see … I could hardly breathe," linebacker DJ Boone told Fox 2 News. 

I'd imagine so. I've never been maced before, but that checks out. Can't argue with that. Parents, shockingly, weren't thrilled, either. They've already filed several formal complaints with the Ohio police department, who I imagine isn't having a great week. 

All in all, not a great start to our Football Friday, but it can only go up from here, right? Lord, I hope so. 

Regardless, head on a swivel for those of you, like me, who are going to support the boys tonight. You never know when you're gonna get maced in the face.