An Arizona high school football player was ejected from a game last week for unsportsmanlike conduct after praising God following a touchdown.

Pedro Banda, a senior at Dysart High School in El Mirage and also a running back on the school's football team, was ejected from a game on October 30.

After scoring the touchdown, the 17-year-old said he put his hand to his face mask and then pointed to the sky, looking up 'for about four seconds'.

But a referee threw a flag, ejected the teen, and now Banda is ineligible to play in the team's playoff game on November 7 - the first playoff game for the school in 25 years.

Pedro Banda, a senior at Dysart High School in El Mirage, Arizona, was ejected from a football game on October 30 after what referees called unsportsmanlike conduct

Banda pointed to the sky (pictured center) after he scored a touchdown. Banda says refs thought he was saying he was 'number one', but says he was actually pointing to the sky to thank God for his opportunities

'They thought I was saying I was number one and I was taunting the other team,' Banda told ABC 15.

But the teen said he wasn't performing an act of excessive celebration. Instead, he was thanking God.

'Excessive celebration is when you use the ball as a prop or you do something to the other team or put on a show with your teammates,' he said. 'I just thank God for all the power he’s given me to play the game.'

Dysart High School Athletic Director Tyrus Timbrooks told ABC that Banda was ejected because the incident was the second offense of the night.

Timbrooks said Banda was flagged by a referee earlier in the game after an aggressive argument with a player from the opposing team.

But after reviewing the tape the following day, Timbrooks said Banda should not have been flagged for the pointing-to-the-sky motion, adding that the praising God motion was something Banda usually did after scoring a touchdown.

The athletic director said he has filed an appeal with the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Banda (pictured center after scoring the touchdown) says he and his brother point to the sky every time they score during a football game

He explained his actions in a Twitter post following the ejection from the match

In a statement to KTRE, the Arizona Interscholastic Association said it was reviewing the incident.

The statement said: 'We are already reviewing this ejection and associated video, and are awaiting an appeal request from Dysart.

'Our by-laws allow for an appeal of an ejection that impact a team advancing in the state tournament.

'Since this victory placed Dysart into the state tournament, the ejection is reviewable by our appeal committee.

'The unsportsmanlike penalty given to #15 on the touchdown at 4:40 left in the game was his second of the game, which, by rule, is an automatic ejection.

'That is the reason he was ejected on the call. The call by itself would not warrant an ejection.

'Both teams had been warned during the game about taunting, and the flag was a reaction to the behaviors that had already been patterned in the game, not for the reasons given in the media.

'We should reach a decision late Monday - pending the appeal request.'