A beauty pageant was the backdrop for a fight ugly enough to result in criminal charges for a South Jersey high school football star and a 17-year-old girl.
Each hit the other, according to Millville police, who would not identify either because they are both juveniles.
But City Commissioner, David Ennis, told the South Jersey News his nephew, Rob Ennis, a running back for Millville High School, was involved in the alteration Saturday night during the Miss Holly City pageant held at the school.
Police have not revealed what provoked the fight, but say the boy punched the girl in the nose and she also struck him at some point. He was charged with aggravated assault and the girl was charged with simple assault.
"In the 17 years that I have known him, his record will speak volumes by itself," commissioner Ennis told the newspaper, defending his nephew. "He's never had one incident his entire school history."
The younger Ennis is committed to play football next year at Purdue University.
The school would not comment on the report or answer questions about school policy or guidelines for scholarship recruits.
