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High School Player Penalized For Giving Props To…Jesus (Video)

About 30 seconds into this video, high school running back Ronnie Hastie scores a touchdown, takes a knee, and points a finger to the sky. Then, all heaven breaks loose.

Yahoo’s Prep Rally has the details:

That’s when the field judge tossed a penalty flag, telling the running back he was trying to draw attention to himself with the celebration.

“That wasn’t the point [of the gesture], so I guess I was a little confused,” Hastie told KOMO News. “I do that to give glory to my heavenly father, Jesus. He gives me the strength. He’s the one who gives me these abilities in the first place.”

Making matters even more strange, the WIAA refuses to decry the penalty, saying that until the referees’ association gives them the full context of the play they can’t determine whether it was an excessive celebration or not. In fact, even if it was, they say the penalty still might have been justified because Hastie did not immediately give the ball back to a referee.

Whether or not you’re a fan of Jesus, the penalty flag here is most definitely over the top. Unless he’s Nastrodamus, it’s unlikely the referee knew why Hastie was saluting the sky. Drawing attention to yourself? Please. Jesus is his homeboy, that’s all.

He’s not taking out pom-poms like TO. He’s not whipping out a Droid and ringing call girls. He’s pointing a finger to the sky.

Kids watch the NFL. Peyton “the Avalanche” Hillis has become a household name in the NFL. And this is exactly what Peyton Hillis has done after all 11 of his touchdowns this year: