An otherwise smoothly-run high school wrestling tournament took an ugly turn Saturday afternoon as Washtenaw County Sherriff’s officers were summoned to Dexter High School.

Tournament manager Craig McCulla called police shortly after several fans rushed onto the mats from the bleachers as a confrontation between Highland Park’s Jalen McCoy and Dearborn Heights Annapolis’s Steve Burkett began to escalate following their bout at 140 pounds.

When asked why the police were called, McCulla said, “for the safety of our fans.”

Near the conclusion of their match, with McCoy’s belly against his back while on the mat, Burkett threw his head into McCoy. McCoy reacted by getting in the face of Burkett, the referee intervened and issued an unsportsmanlike conduct call to McCoy. After time had expired in the match, with McCoy winning 7-4, the wrestlers were brought to their feet, at which point McCoy pushed Burkett.

McCoy was again issued an unsportsmanlike conduct, and because it was McCoy’s second such call, he was disqualified from the match.

After Burkett’s hand was raised and he began to walk off of the mat, McCoy threw his head gear in the direction of the Dearborn Heights sideline and had to be restrained as several fans left the stands and rushed onto the mat.

Several coaches and tournament officials stepped between the Highland Park and Dearborn Heights coaches before the mats started to be cleared. As people began to clear the mats, Highland Park assistant coach Jamar Whitfield was confronted by an unidentified man in a leather coat and white hat who engaged him by pointing and saying something as he exited the mat. McCulla stepped between the men.

Highland Park has developed a reputation for being involved in such situations, to the point where fans at the tournament seemed unsurprised, joking throughout the day that something similar was an almost certainty.

Whitfield and Highland Park head coach Glenn Washington declined to comment on the situation.

Two Washtenaw County Sherriff’s officers arrived on the scene at approximately 5:35 p.m., about 10 minutes after wrestling had resumed. The officers declined to comment.

McCoy -- who would have taken fourth place at the Division 2 Regional Tournament -- was issued a flagrant misconduct and had his medal vacated. The misconduct will bar him from participating at the MHSAA Individual State Championships March 4-6 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Head official Jack McCloughan declined to comment.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by e-mail at petercunningham@annarbor.com, or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.