The overtime ending of Friday night's highly anticipated football game between Millbrook and Rolesville High Schools was postponed.

Around 9:20 p.m., with just over eight minutes left, the game was suspended, and police evacuated the roughly 6,000 spectators in attendance. 

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The issues started with a fourth quarter altercation between several teens that Raleigh Police said dominoed into other small fights within the stadium. Fights continued outside the stadium and nearby gas stations.

Raleigh Police said no one was hurt and no arrests were made. Millbrook Principal Monica Sawyer said the incident is still under investigation.

The school sent an email to families Saturday afternoon, reading in part: 

In addition to school disciplinary consequences, students or adults involved in unlawful activity may also face charges from law enforcement.

We are aware of reports that a spectator at the game was in possession of a firearm. At this time, law enforcement has found no evidence to support those reports. Law enforcement continues to investigate the incidents that occurred last night and we will share additional information as appropriate.

Police allowed the game to resume without fans after a 25-minute delay. Only the teams, media, officials, and school and city personnel were allowed to remain in the stadium.

At the time of the pause, Rolesville led Millbrook 10-0. In the ensuing 8:16 of action, the Wildcats evened the score at 10 and opted to take a knee with 27 seconds left rather than run a final play. 

Ahead of the game, Millbrook High School asked people to enter through the main gates and be screened by metal detectors.

The game was suspended a second time in overtime, when fights continued outside of the stadium. That is when police completely evacuated the campus.

Freshman Emari Keeling said despite it being one of his first football games as a Millbrook High School student, he expected fights to happen.

“I feel like they could have brought a little more security because it is like a crazy rivalry,” Keeling said. “Like we didn't have that [many] officers for real.”

Raleigh Police said its focus last night was on crowd control, partially due to the numbers. Roughly 50 officers were on scene. Crowds totaled thousands. The department said its focus was on dispersing crowds and getting everyone home.

“People were running from police officers, getting maced, police officers were pushing. I ended up breaking my whole phone, like it doesn’t turn on,” Keeling said. “It was crazy.”

Keeling’s phone shattered, he said, when he was pushed to the ground by crowds.

With just one exit, he said many students and attendees were pushing to get out, especially with rumors began to spread that someone had a gun.

Principal Sawyer said police have not found any evidence of that.

She also wrote that metal detectors were placed at the entrances of the stadium, additional security and law enforcement were at the game, and the school's clear bag policy was enforced. 

Millbrook Junior Zayvion Bullock attested to the chaotic exit scenes Friday night.

“People were pushing everybody,” Bullock said, “and it was starting that was starting all more fights.”

Like Keeling, Bullock was unsurprised that fights happened. He said he was still disappointed to see the game end early.

“I kind of expected it though. Like, I kind of expected it because it's a rivalry game, and people are just like petty,” Bullock said. “And those people that were like fighting are like they've been beefing.”

The principal of Millbrook High, Monica Sawyer, added in her email:  WCPSS Security and law enforcement to review and strengthen our procedures for athletic events to ensure we are providing a safe environment for all attendees.

HighSchoolOT contributed to the reporting of this story.