WASHINGTON TWP. — A Boone Grove assistant baseball coach said South Central fans made racist comments toward him during Friday's Porter County Conference Tournament title game.
When Boone Grove and South Central faced off at Washington Township in the championship, a fracas started midway through the game. First base coach Diante Kincaid said South Central fans had made offensive comments toward his team's players throughout the game, and he told them to stop.
Kincaid, who is black, said a fan told him to “go back to Africa” and that at least one fan made a clicking noise.
Kincaid said he laughed it off, as he didn't want to get ejected from the game. An umpire approached the fans and repeatedly told them to “knock it off” before speaking briefly with Kincaid. Boone Grove head coach Jake Gholston was informed of Kincaid's allegation and alerted Boone Grove athletic director Marcus Banning.
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In a separate incident, Kathryn Wielgus, Kincaid's girlfriend, said a fan wearing South Central gear near the concession stand snickered and said Kincaid was “on the wrong side of town.”
South Central High School Principal Benjamin Anderson denied that fans made any racist comments but acknowledged some directed derogatory comments toward Kincaid and Boone Grove players.
Anderson called The Times late Friday and said, "I won't deny ... that some of our fans were excitable." But he disputed saying that South Central fans were out of line. Anderson also said late Friday that he was not standing by the South Central fans who were near Kincaid when the alleged incident took place.
Banning said both schools were looking into the matter.
Porter County Conference Secretary Andrea Overholt said the league also was looking into the alleged incident.
Kincaid said South Central fans also made racist comments during the teams' first meeting this season, calling him "blackie" on April 29 at South Central.
The IHSAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.