One of the storied football programs of the 20th century, even today to a certain extent, is Mount Carmel. At one time, going back to the middle of the 20th century, the Red Tornadoes were virtually untouchable as they rolled over the likes of Coal Township and other coal region powerhouses

In recent years, they won Pennsylvania Class 2A state championships in 1994, ’96, ’98 and 2000, and they were two victories away from another one this year before being eliminated.

The real glory years were during the coaching tenure of Joe “Jazz” Diminick, whose teams from 1962 through 1992 amassed a record of 267 wins, 81 losses and seven ties.

Then, the shocking scandal: In 2020, Mount Carmel forfeited its last two football games after allegations of hazing by key players on the team. Last week, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced charges against nine former Mount Carmel football players for their involvement in the 2020 hazing incident.

Shapiro said the football team captains, Reed Witowski, Damon Dowkus, and another boy who was a juvenile at the time, have been charged with hazing, simple assault and intimidation of a victim.

Shapiro said other members of the team - Tyler Owens, Michael Balichik and four others who were juveniles at the time - have also been charged with hazing and criminal conspiracy to commit hazing.

Shapiro’s investigation showed that in separate incidents, football players were invited to Witowski’s house to watch team game footage. During the watch party, Witowski, Dowkus and another captain, who was a juvenile at the time, and other members of the team, burned the new players with lit burning sticks and sparklers as part of an informal initiation.

In October 2020, the Mount Carmel Area School District, school board and varsity football coaching staff canceled the rest of the season because of the hazing incident.

With all of the fallout from hazing reports, whether from college fraternities or high school sports teams, I must ask why is this still continuing? Are young people oblivious to what these incidents have meant to victims, their families, their communities, to their teams’ sports program and to themselves?

Even this year, hazing activities were still being uncovered, despite the spotlight on these incidents and their consequences.

School Superintendent Chelton Hunter of the Middletown district in Dauphin County notified parents and students at the start of the 2022 season that because of widespread hazing incidents the entire football schedule was canceled.

While the situation in Middletown was unfolding, two Athens Area High School students in Bradford County, who were allegedly involved in an incident that took place earlier this year at the Bloomsburg University campus, have been charged. The hazing reports led to the one-year suspension of the football coach and other disciplinary action.

Another hazing incident occurred this year at Mohawk Area High School in Lawrence County, which led to arrests and suspension of several football games.

In light of all of the publicity that previous high-profile cases generated, I expect that just about every school district has anti-hazing programs in place. Have these districts not heard about the November 2021 incident at Tamaqua Area High School where an 18-year-old was charged and three juveniles expelled after their alleged participation in an attack on a student at the district’s football house during what was described as a hazing ritual?

In addition to taking action against those involved and putting additional anti-hazing policies into effect, the district canceled the team’s semifinal playoff game that season.

Before “hazing” became a dirty word, teams encouraged it as one way to fit in, a way for newcomers to show their respect and pledge their loyalty and willingness to do anything for their fellow team members and for the good of the team.

Whatever schools are doing, it apparently is not enough. Each member of a sports program should be compelled to complete an anti-hazing seminar, and school officials and coaches should hold periodic refresher moments to drive home the importance of not engaging in these harmful practices.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

If you are a victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673.