Star participant for N.J. soccer dynasty grabbed photographer by throat throughout post-game battle

A post-game battle between two of the state’s prime highschool soccer powerhouses devolved into violent chaos on Saturday night time, with one in all New Jersey’s top-ranked gamers grabbing the throat of a photographer who was taking photos of the melee.

According to a number of witnesses, an argument broke out within the post-match handshake line on the St. Benedict’s Prep vs. St. Peter’s Prep soccer recreation in Jersey City, with gamers pushing, shoving and finally throwing punches.

Tom Horak, a photographer assigned by NJ Advance Media to cowl the sport, was taking photos of the dispute when St. Benedict’s junior ahead Amadou Hann sprinted after him from about 30 yards away.

Horak, 31, mentioned Hann charged him, demanded he delete the photographs and grabbed him by the throat, leaving Horak with abrasions throughout his neck, in response to a photograph taken from the scene and obtained by NJ Advance Media. The assault lasted lower than 10 seconds earlier than Hann was restrained and escorted off the sector, witnesses mentioned.

“What he did is definitely not okay,” Horak mentioned. “It was a scary moment. He charged and he kind of grabbed me by the throat. I don’t know if he was trying to grab my shirt and ended up grabbing my throat. My whole mindset was: Get out. Relax. Trying to calm down the situation.”

Hann, who stands 6-foot-2, tallied 16 targets and 11 assists final season, serving to lead St. Benedict’s to a 20-0 file and the Non-Public A state championship. The group is at the moment ranked No. 1 each in New Jersey and nationally.

Hann is extensively thought of one of many prime gamers nationally within the 2027 class.

Long-time St. Peter’s Prep athletic director Rich Hansen, who was on the sidelines for the sport, additionally confirmed seeing Hann make contact with Horak. Hansen mentioned he believed Hann was trying to seize Horak’s digital camera.

“It was kind of surreal,” Hansen mentioned. “I saw (Hann) dart down the sidelines to the photographer. He was obviously in a rattled state and the photographer backed up. He was shocked by it. But obviously contact was made. I looked and I saw (Hann) grab the photographer. I’ve never seen anything quite like that.”

Horak, who has labored as freelance sports activities photographer for NJ Advance Media for eight years, declined medical consideration on the scene, and police weren’t known as.

Horak additionally mentioned he has declined to press expenses at the moment.

After the incident, Horak mentioned a number of St. Peter’s gamers approached him to see if he was okay. Horak mentioned the gamers advised him they believed Hann had tried to “choke you out.”

Horak mentioned he was not approached by anybody from St. Benedict’s after the incident, and that nobody from the college had contacted him Sunday.

Mike Cherenson, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state’s governing physique for highschool sports activities, mentioned the group “has recently been made aware of this unfortunate incident and we will be investigating immediately.”

St. Benedict’s athletic director Frank DiPiano declined remark when reached by cellphone Sunday. He additionally didn’t reply to subsequent cellphone and textual content messages searching for remark relating to the allegations laid out in opposition to Hann.

Saturday’s match between St. Benedict’s, No. 1 within the NJ.com Top 20, and No. 4 St. Peter’s was hailed as one of the crucial extremely anticipated matchups of the 2025 season and showcased because the featured match of the Dan Finn Soccer Classic at Lincoln Park in Jersey City.

The recreation was bodily all through and Hann appeared upset throughout a lot of the sport, Hansen mentioned. At one level, Hann even earned a yellow card, Hansen and Horak mentioned.

St. Peter’s took a 1-0 lead within the first half, however St. Benedict’s tied the sport at 1-1 after a purpose from Hann within the forty seventh minute.

The match resulted in a 1-1 tie, ending St. Benedict’s 26-game win streak.

As the groups went by the postgame handshake line, Horak mentioned he positioned himself to seize a photograph of the gamers coming along with the 1-1 scoreboard within the background. It was at that time, Horak mentioned, that phrases have been exchanged between opposing gamers, resulting in shoving and finally punches being thrown.

“It was a pretty big fight that broke out,” Horak mentioned. “Hands down it was the worst fight that I’ve seen. And I was just taking photos of it.”

Hansen mentioned coaches and college personnel labored quick to diffuse the incident. But, moments later, Hann appeared to turn into enraged when a teammate advised him that Horak was taking photos. Hann then ran after the photographer.

Hansen mentioned it appeared as if Hann was attempting to seize Horak’s digital camera from his fingers, whereas the photographer retreated from Hann and tried to guard his gear.

Horak mentioned the incident occurred so quick that he couldn’t recall if Hann was going for his digital camera. As the scuffled ensued, Hann’s fingers went round Horak’s neck, Horak mentioned, earlier than Hann was pulled away.

“I kind of shook it off,” Horak mentioned. “And then it really hit me when all the St. Peter’s kids came up to me, like, wide-eyed and just said, ‘Oh my god. Are you okay? That was crazy! He just tried to choke you out.’”

Hansen, who spent 33 years because the soccer coach at St. Peter’s Prep and has labored in highschool athletics for greater than 4 many years, mentioned the whole incident was not like something he’s skilled.

“I’ve been doing this for 44 years and I have never seen a photographer or a reporter approached like that,” Hansen mentioned. “This was over the top. It was not a good look.”