High school football player ejected from game, suspended from playoffs for pointing after TD

EL MIRAGE, AZ – Professional athletes seem to point up in the air a lot, usually after scoring or making a big play.
But if you’re Pedro Banda, a high school football player in El Mirage, Arizona pointing during a game results in a kick off: You getting kicked off the field.
Video of the game shows Banda scoring a touchdown and then pointing to the sky to praise God.
“I scored and I was running to my brother who was also on the field, and I put my hand to my face mask and pointed up to the sky,” Banda said.
Officials ejected him from the game for excessive celebration.
“Now I don’t get to play my senior year in our playoffs where our school hasn’t had a winning record or been in the playoffs in over 25 years.”
Banda has been pointing to the sky after touchdowns since he was 8 years old.
His mother can’t believe what’s happened. “It’s a thing him and his brother do,” said Angela Franco.
“They always do it to thank God for everything they’ve been through. If it is a rule, I would have liked to have been informed of it.”
Banda is appealing the suspension, and hopes officials will get his point.