Wicomico County Schools continue to forfeit games against Kent Island

SALISBURY, Md – Planned baseball and softball games between WiHi and Kent Island will go unplayed Wednesday because Wicomico County Students are still being barred from playing any games against Kent Island High School. Almost two months after a basketball game ended early – when a Parkside High student threw a punch but it’s what allegedly happened before that that has caused continuing controversy.

One player recalls the scene at that Regional quarterfinal game in February but preferred to remain anonymous.

“Kent Island’s student section, being really rowdy and you can clearly hear them say a bunch of racial slurs to me and my teammates. N-word, monkey sounds, stuff like that yeah,” he says.

Rams’ Head JV Coach Deandre Hitch was not happy about the situation he says the players, which include one of his sons, were in.

“As a parent it’s disrespectful, I’m upset to see my son go through all of that and it’s 2023, It’s disappointing. you can cheer all you want to, but the racial comments shouldn’t have been said,” Hitch says.

On February 27 Queen Anne’s Athletic Director Dan Harding denied the allegations saying the environment was safe up until the Parkside player threw a punch.

But a parent who was at the game also said she heard the racial slurs being stated to the Parkside players.

“I heard the racial slurs like the n-word and making noises like the barking sounds and the sounds of a monkey. For the most part, we all know what that’s about,” she says.

Coach Hitch adds the issues continued after the game was over when the Rams were loading the bus to leave Kent Island High School. “There are kids on the side of the road with flashlights and calling us the n-word, giving us the fingers, making monkey sounds,” he says.

In an open letter to 47 ABC, the Queen Anne’s County Public School officially stated they found zero evidence of any racial slurs or animus having occurred before, during, or after the game. In fact, they blamed the media for spreading false information.

However the Wicomico County School Board raised concerns about the incident, and the Superintendent is not allowing any games to be played with Kent Island until a third-party investigation funded by both county school boards is concluded.