A Fight After Monday’s Poolesville-Clarksburg Flag Football Game Sent an Adult to the Hospital. Both Principals Have Written to Families.

A fight in the parking lot after Monday night’s girls flag football game at Poolesville High School sent an adult to the hospital, and the principals of both schools wrote jointly to their communities on Tuesday to say they are investigating.

Poolesville Principal Mark Carothers and Clarksburg Principal Anita O’Neill signed the letter together. The letter is the first public account from either school. Moderately MOCO received reports of the incident Monday night and held off publishing while accounts from the two sides conflicted.

What the Principals Say Happened

Carothers and O’Neill write that disrespectful behavior involving students and adults escalated in the parking lot following the game. The letter describes taunting, arguing and ultimately a physical altercation that resulted in an adult being transported to the hospital for treatment.

School staff summoned police, according to the letter, and the principals write that officers quickly came to Poolesville to support. The principals call the episode a serious incident and write that what they know so far is deeply concerning.

“This is not how we expect members of either of our school communities, students and adults alike, to represent themselves, their schools or MCPS athletics,” the letter says.

What Police Described Monday Night

A senior Montgomery County Police official described the scene to Moderately MOCO on Monday night, while officers were still working it.

They are still on scene. It does look like an active fight was happening in the parking lot between student adults with one person potentially struck with a “cow bell”

A senior Montgomery County Police official, Monday night

The police account is more specific than the letter. Police described an active fight and a person potentially struck with a cowbell. The principals’ letter describes a physical altercation and makes no mention of any object.

What Is Still Unconfirmed

Montgomery County Police had issued no public statement about the incident as of Tuesday evening, and the department has released no account of what officers found.

The letter identifies no one involved. The principals do not say how many people took part, who started the altercation, which school community the hospitalized adult belongs to, or whether police have filed any charges.

Carothers and O’Neill write that an investigation is continuing and that they want to be careful not to draw conclusions about individual responsibility before that work is complete. Moderately MOCO is naming no one for the same reason.

The Game

Monday’s game was a meeting of two unbeaten teams. Clarksburg won.

Clarksburg’s girls varsity flag football team is now 7-0 and Poolesville is 7-1, according to County Sports Zone, which tracks Montgomery County high school athletics. Monday’s result is the only loss on Poolesville’s record this season.

What Happens Next

Administrators from both schools are continuing to investigate what happened and the actions of those involved, the principals write. Consequences will be assigned where appropriate under the MCPS Student Code of Conduct and the expectations of the MCPS Athletics program.

The letter also asks families to reinforce a message with students. “Competition never excuses disrespect, and especially never excuses violent and physically harmful behavior,” Carothers and O’Neill write. “Walking away from a confrontation is not weakness.”

Moderately MOCO will update this story as more becomes known.

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The Full Letter from Poolesville and Clarksburg High Schools

Dated October 6, 2026. Reproduced in full as provided to Poolesville and Clarksburg High School families by Principal Mark Carothers and Principal Anita O’Neill.

A Joint Message from Poolesville and Clarksburg High Schools

Dear Poolesville and Clarksburg High School Communities,

We are writing together following a serious incident that occurred Monday evening after the girls’ flag football game at Poolesville High School between our schools.

An investigation is continuing, and we want to be careful not to draw conclusions about individual responsibility before that work is complete. What we do know, however, is deeply concerning. Following the game, disrespectful behavior involving students and adults escalated in the parking lot. There was taunting, arguing and ultimately a physical altercation that resulted in an adult being transported to the hospital for treatment. As an element of expected process when de-escalating a situation such as this, staff did summon the police, who quickly came to Poolesville to support.

This is not how we expect members of either of our school communities, students and adults alike, to represent themselves, their schools or MCPS athletics.

To be clear, athletic competition can be spirited and emotional, but respect for one another is expected at all times—on the field, on the sidelines and after the game is over. That expectation applies to everyone: student-athletes, students, coaches, families and spectators. MCPS athletics is grounded in the R.A.I.S.E. Core Values: Respect & Sportsmanship, Academic Excellence, Integrity & Character, Spirited & Safe Competition, and Equity & Access. The Athletics Handbook makes positive sportsmanship a central part of the MCPS interscholastic athletics program and establishes expectations for conduct and behavior at athletic events.

That did not happen last night.

Administrators from both schools continue to investigate what happened and the actions of those involved. Where appropriate, consequences will be assigned in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct and the expectations of the MCPS Athletics program and its R.A.I.S.E. Core Values.

We also ask families to reinforce an important message with students: competition never excuses disrespect, and especially never excuses violent and physically harmful behavior. Walking away from a confrontation is not weakness. Instead, showing restraint, treating an opponent with dignity and helping de-escalate a difficult situation is a strength and, more importantly, is expected. As the principal of each school, we are extremely dismayed that this did not occur.

Poolesville and Clarksburg are proud school communities, and one difficult evening does not define any of us, but equally does not absolve us from following through, investigating and taking appropriate action.

Mark Carothers
Principal
Poolesville High School

Anita O’Neill
Principal
Clarksburg High School

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