BRIDGETON — It started with kids looking across the street at a groundhog in the Bridgeton Midget Football parking lot on Saturday.

They crossed the street to get a closer look.

They had never seen a groundhog before.

What they didn’t count on was the groundhog chasing them back across the street to where Bridgeton Little League was playing.

Bedlam broke out.

Umpire Brandon Dennis headed off the animal baring its teeth from chasing the children.

It began chasing Dennis.

Bridgeton Little League President T. Carl Hemple intervened to save Dennis.

“Then he started chasing me,’’ said Hemple. “Man, was he big. He must have weighed 20 pounds.’’

The groundhog gained on Hemple, who went to his car, jumped inside and locked the doors.

“The groundhog went under the car,’’ said Hemple.

He decided to start the car.

The groundhog escaped the roar of the motor and headed for the Bridgeton Sports Hall of Fame.

“It found a hole in the fence surrounding the air conditioning unit,’’ said Hemple.

Hemple called the police.

“They were there in two minutes,’’ he said. “They got one of those loops on a stick around its neck.’’

It broke the loop.

“I’m telling you, it was big,’’ said Hemple.

He said the police went and got a cage, relooped the animal and got it inside the cage.

“They said they were taking it to Wilwynn Animal Hospital,’’ said Hemple.

The hospital sent out samples to a lab in Trenton to get tested. They have not yet confirmed if the animal had rabies, but they expect the results back in the coming days.

As a precaution, the officers who wrangled the groundhog were advised to be tested, according to Capt. Michael Gaimari of the Bridgeton Police.

Hemple couldn’t say enough about the work of the police officers.

“They were on the afternoon shift,’’ he said. “I asked the sergeant if I could tell the press and he said it would be good to read something positive about the department.’’

The obvious fear was the animal might be rabid and it could have wound up a tragedy had he bitten any of the kids.

“The officers wore gloves,’’ said Hemple.

Hemple said his coaches have had training for everything affecting kids.

“But not groundhogs,’’ he said. “Not animals coming out of the woods.’’

Staff writer Alex Young contributed to this report.

Contact staff writer Jack Hummel at 856-451-1000, ext. 556 or jhummel@southjerseymedia.com