Zeke Cardenas: St. Anthony High School Senior Shoves Ref, Gets 140,300 Views [Video]

Zeke Cardenas is a name getting buzz on Sunday, September 13. Zeke can be seen in the attached YouTube video, as Cardenas shoves a referee. Zeke is a senior at St. Anthony High School, and Cardenas gained attention for pushing a ref during a football game on Saturday. Zeke’s team went up against Austin Hyde Park.

https://youtu.be/V2KNNZp3rY0

According to My San Antonio, Zeke lost his temper after a second penalty — and Cardenas pushed the official. As seen in the video, Zeke was held back by his teammates when they saw Cardenas shove the ref. Afterward, Zeke was ejected from the game as the announcers commented on the surprising move by Cardenas.

Zeke’s shove of the ref adds to other assaults on officials in the news. Cardenas’ push comes a little more than one week after two other football players went viral for pummeling a ref at Marble Falls. Whether the video of Zeke shoving the ref will go as viral as the other violent video remains to be seen, but Cardenas is receiving lots of attention for his antics on the field.

A Bleacher Report article about Zeke has been read more than 140,300 times, and Cardenas is getting lots of heated comments on YouTube and elsewhere. Zeke went viral when the video got worldwide attention, and the plight of Cardenas was talked about nationwide prior to Friday’s game against Del Rio.

Normally, a push like the one Zeke leveled against the official might not make national news, but Cardenas came into the spotlight just as the nation was focused upon high school players and their treatment of officials. Although Dean Campbell — the coach of the Hyde Park team — didn’t see Zeke’s actions in person because he’s on the mend from a heart attack, the actions of Cardenas were called unfortunate by Campbell.

“Whatever happened was unfortunate, especially with whatever happened last week in Marble Falls. I spoke with the coaches after the game and I didn’t really ask them what all they saw.”

On YouTube, Zeke is being called a plethora of names, with some suggesting Cardenas should be suspended.

“Suspend that a****** from his league indefinitely. Touching the ref is a mortal sin in sports.”

Zeke’s actions are being called spoiled by others on YouTube, while others think Cardenas’ actions weren’t all that bad.

“That’s it? I thought it was some kind of brutal tackle. It was just a shove? Not really a big deal.”

Zeke needs to learn his lesson, say some commentators who want Cardenas kicked off the team.

“You need to send a message. These kids need to be kicked off the team permanently.”

In the same vein, certain folks want Zeke to serve as an example to teach kids not to touch refs, with Cardenas being used as some sort of sacrificial lamb.

“Cut from the team. Suspend from the school. Test for the drugs.”

The Instagram and Facebook accounts of Zeke could not be readily accessed, and there’s no word on a mea culpa from Cardenas.

[Image via YouTube]