Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified a spokesperson for Salt River Schools.

A volleyball playoff game that started between two Valley high schools Tuesday before being halted after crowd members reportedly heckled players with racial taunts finally came to a close Friday.

The stands were mostly full at Desert Heights Prep Academy, the neutral site where the playoff game continued about 4:45 p.m. between Salt River High School and Caurus Academy of Anthem.

While the game was staffed with security guards due to Tuesday's incident during the match, those in attendance Friday were enthusiastic and respectful. Spectators rooting for Salt River, which is located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, also appeared to outnumber others in the stands and some carried signs supporting the school.

UPDATE:Parents speak out after volleyball racism controversy draws attention

"I've never had such a big turnout for one game," said Sialik King, captain of the Salt River team. "It was very nice to see that us, as indigenous people, could come together for this game."

On Tuesday, the Salt River volleyball team traveled to Anthem to play Caurus Academy, a charter school, in the playoff game. The game was stopped with Caurus leading 2-1 in the fourth set, however, after crowd members began imitating Native American chants and made racist gestures, according to some people who attended the game.

An investigation of the reported incident was launched by the Canyon Athletic Association, which oversees competition between non-traditional schools.

The CAA, after meeting with representatives of both schools, opted to continue the came at a neutral site Friday. Caurus ultimately won the game 15-9 in the fifth set and will advance to the quarterfinals Saturday at San Tan Charter Academy.

CAA also ruled no sanctions would be handed down to either team and announced it would establish a new interscholastic committee that will develop new cultural competency policies for its member schools to follow.

Representatives of both schools spoke afterward.

"We respect this team (Salt River), there is no doubt about that ... I think it's important to note that there were no sanctions levied against either member school, the investigation is closed, we want to move forward with Salt River, we're going to partner with Salt River (and) we're going to partner with the CAA to move forward so that we can all enjoy winter and spring sports," said Wendy Davison, principal and athletic director for Caurus. The two schools compete in other sports, she noted.

Davison added that while "something" happened to the players at Tuesday's game, there was no footage of it, no administrators saw exactly what happened and that all the players were confused about what was happening.

"Those are the facts and we apologize for the fact that there was a disruption or the fact that anybody felt that they could not move forward with the game," she added.

Kyronna Roanhorse, head coach of the Salt River volleyball team, later said, however, that the Salt River team is not confused about their experience during Tuesday's game and that "they heard some things they probably shouldn't have."

"You can't make this stuff up," Roanhorse said. "We have to learn from this situation going forward and that’s the biggest step and impression that we're trying to make here, that it's (the incident) not acceptable but at the same time we can all come together to make it (the game) work and to move forward and learn from this type of situation."

Taté Walker, a spokesperson for Salt River Schools, said in a statement late Friday that the incident is a larger issue that requires attention.

"Tuesday's events go beyond one volleyball game and are indicative of systemic discrimination problems that are difficult for many to acknowledge across the education landscape, especially when it's so much easier to claim ignorance or unintentionality," Walker said.

"There are more conversations to be had, especially with regards to how discrimination, inclusion and restorative justice is handled within schools — whether in the classrooms or on the court."

Walker added that Salt River Schools is invested in helping CAA follow through with their anti-racism policy initiative and stand by their offer to make their school, language and culture experts available to CAA and member schools.

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on Twitter @curtis_chels.

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