Three youth football coaches face criminal charges after an on-field brawl erupted during an August 29, 2026, game in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. The fight between Carlynton and Keystone Oaks teams involved third- and fourth-grade players, prompting league suspensions, team-level sanctions, and a police investigation sparked by viral social media video.
Carnegie Police File Misdemeanor and Summary Charges After Viral Video Review
Kennedy reviewed video footage of the altercation approximately 40 to 50 times before filing criminal charges against three men involved in the August 29 incident at Honus Wagner Field. The game featured third- and fourth-grade student-athletes from the Carlynton and Keystone Oaks club teams.
DeQuay Canton, the 24-year-old head coach of the Carlynton Little Cougars D2 team, faces a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and a summary count of harassment. According to the criminal complaint, Canton approached the opposing sideline during the final minutes of play as his team trailed 7-0 and sought a game-tying drive.
Police allege Canton threw punches that would have caused substantial harm and most definitely caused serious inconvenience. Two Keystone Oaks coaches, 35-year-old Joseph Kubiak and 37-year-old Frank McGrath, were charged by summons with a single summary count of disorderly conduct each.
Coaches Exchange Blows on the Field as Referees Shield Elementary Players
The physical confrontation began near the end of the fourth quarter when Canton marched toward the Keystone Oaks sideline. Video captured by parent Ryan Crux shows referees attempting to separate the adults as players between eight and nine years old stood nearby.
“If you watch the video, the Carlynton coach goes up to a Keystone Oaks coach. There’s a little bit of pushing there, then people are trying to hold the Carlynton coach back, several people, and another time appears that another Keystone Oaks coach goes up to him and the Carlynton coach body slams him.”
Chief Jeffrey Kennedy, Carnegie Police Department
Investigators noted that Kubiak ran at Canton during the scrum, resulting in a leg tackle that brought Kubiak to the ground. Canton then punched Kubiak while the Keystone Oaks assistant coach remained on the turf before backing away into a fighting stance.
Canton Cites Racial Slurs While Opposing Families Dispute Allegations
In interviews following the game, Canton defended his actions by stating that young players on his team approached him in tears after being targeted with racial slurs by opposing participants. He asserted that referees failed to address complaints lodged during the match.
“As a Black man, I was being mobbed by all their football and cheerleading staff, trying to attack me. All I could think about was fight or flight. I’m not apologetic for standing up for my kids who saw the injustice and were the victims of racial slurs.”
DeQuay Canton, Carlynton Head Coach
Chief Kennedy stated that investigators evaluated the coach’s statement regarding slurs, but noted that no independent proof of such language had surfaced during the ongoing inquiry. Crux, whose video brought national attention to the clash, questioned the allegation, pointing out that a meaningful share of the Keystone Oaks roster consists of children of color.
Steel City League and Independent Teams Impose Suspensions and Bans
The Steel City Youth Football League operates independently of local school districts. Following the incident, league officials suspended two coaches indefinitely and announced an expansive review of referee reports, video footage, and witness testimony. Both participating clubs independently benched a total of five additional staff members.
League penalties extend further, placing both the Carlynton and Keystone Oaks organizations on a two-year probation period while mandating dedicated security personnel at future Carlynton home games. Separately, the Carlynton organization issued a permanent trespass notice against Crux, citing prior verbal warnings regarding sideline conduct and social media activity following the upload of the viral clip.
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