School football player banned for slashing opponents .
ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. 1996-12-05
A New Mexico high school football player who used razor-sharp helmet buckles to slash opponents and a referee was expelled from high school banned Thursday from competition for one year .
Mike Cito , 17 , was expelled from St Pius X High School in Albuquerque after an October game in which he used the sharpened chin strap buckles to injure two opposing players and the referee .
One of the players need 10 stitches to a cut on his forearm .
Officials said the New Mexico Activities Association decided to bar Cito from any inter-scholastic competition until next October , regardless of the school he attends .
Cito 's father , Stephen Cito , had admitted filing the metal buckles to a fine edge , saying he did it to get even with the referee and with players who had roughed up his son in a previous game .