A first-half brawl and a penalty-filled game marred Saturday’s Gloucester-Menchville varsity football contest on Saturday. The Dukes were able to escape Todd Stadium with a win, defeating the Monarchs, 20-13, and improving to 3-3 in the Peninsula District.

The Dukes’ opening drive began as scripted, with a heavy dose of running backs Joren Brown and Allesandro Brovelli serving as the bulk of the offense. 

On a play from the fringe of the red zone, Brown delivered a punishing stiff arm to a Menchville corner and stretched out to cross the goal line for an apparent score. However, a late flag came flying in recalling the score, something that would become a recurring theme in the game.

In total, three scores by the Dukes were called back by penalty flags, including a penalty on head coach John Scalf for being past the coach’s box more than 30 yards behind the play.

This opening Dukes’ drive was turned away at the one-yard line after multiple recalled sc...