HAMILTON – The Trenton Catholic Academy boys soccer team has been banned from entering the NJSIAA tournament this year after players and a coach received a series of red cards for their reactions to an alleged racial slur used by an opponent.

Two Iron Mikes players and one coach received red cards for flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct Tuesday at the Burlington County Scholastic League Patriot Division match at Bordentown after what the TCA head coach described as a racial slur by one of the Scotties players.

The three red cards came in the final minutes of Bordentown's 3-1 victory. They were issued to players Fomba Tulay and Peter Hall and assistant coach Blamo Klein.

"Fomba said that the Bordentown kid called him the N word," TCA head coach Milton Suah said. "It happened in the middle of the field. They both went up for a ball and Fomba hit him with an elbow. He got a straight red from the ref. As Fomba was walking away toward the bench, the kid must have said something, because Fomba went after him. I don't know what he said, but Fomba was furious when he was on the bench. Fomba said 'That kid called me the N word, and I am not going to take that."

Suah was not issued a red card but sat out Thursday's 3-2 victory over Pemberton, as he will Friday's game against Westampton Tech. NJSIAA rules require a head coach to serve a two-game ban for any red card received by a member of his coaching staff.

VIDEO:Randy Gonzalez of Trenton Catholic discusses team's performance Thursday

Suah said the actions of his team were unacceptable even if a racial term was directed as his player.

"Obviously, we can't condone the actions that led to the red cards," Suah said. "I have always told my players to let the coaches deal with the referee if there is a problem. Regardless of what was said, you cannot react violently."

Bordentown head coach Mike Brennan took his players off the field, sheltering them in an adjacent baseball dugout. The other red cards were handed out for actions by the TCA players and coach after the Bordentown team had exited the playing field.

NJSIAA rules preclude any team with three or more player or coach disqualifications over a season from participating in the state tournament.

"As a school district, we would never condone the use of that language by anyone in the district," Bordentown athletic director Joe Sprague said Thursday. "I did a lot of research over the past two days. I checked with the officials, our coaching staff, and the players. I am confident that those words were never spoken by any of our players. We would never condone that as a district."

Sprague praised Brennan for getting the players off the field.

"I've known Mike Brennan for a long time. He got his kids off the field and kept the players away from the trouble,” he said. “He did exactly what should have been done in the situation, exactly how that situation would be handled if there was a handbook. I am proud of him, our coaches, and our players, of the way they handled themselves."

Bordentown Regional School District Superintendent Edward J. Forsthoffer III commented on the incident via email Thursday.

"This is an NJSIAA issue," Forsthoffer said. "Three individuals were given red cards from the TCA team, which is unheard of to my knowledge. Now there is a claim that one of our students said something inappropriate. We investigated and have not found that to be true. However, whether a TCA student thinks he heard a comment, did hear a comment, or is making a false allegation, that is not an excuse to resort to physical violence.

"If you get a red card in soccer, you leave the field and do not charge our bench regardless of what you think. I will make sure our students are safe and we will not tolerate this type of behavior from either side. I understand that the team is upset because there are rules about participating in state tournaments but I believe these rules are put into place for good reasons. Instead of blaming others for the outcomes of these events, I am hopeful that the involved players recognize their own involvement in the outcome."

TCA President Sister Dorothy Payne was at Thursday’s Pemberton-TCA game hosted by the Iron Mikes.

"We are still investigating all issues that have been brought to our attention, and we will send in a report to the NJSIAA as soon as we look at the video, and check their report, as to what they claim, as well as looking at ours and what our students claim," she said.

"We are still waiting to hear from both schools involved," NJSIAA Assistant Director Jack DuBois said Thursday. "I have spoken with TCA President Sister Dorothy Payne and Bordentown Principal Pat Lynch and both are in the process of filing a report. We will take it from there when we receive the reports. The three red cards over the course of a season would prevent any team, be it soccer, basketball or baseball, from the state tournament. The players and coaches also have to serve a two-game ban as well for the red cards."

The Bordentown Township Police Department responded to a call placed from the field, but according to Sprague, no further action was taken.

The Iron Mikes made three straight trips to the South Jersey Non-Public B Final from 2010-12 and last season lost to state champion Gill St. Bernard's, 6-0, in state tournament play.