Reporters banned after inappropriate requests to Arizona HS athletes

PHOENIX – Two Arizona reporters were banned from all high school sports events in the state after allegations surfaced that they solicited athletes they covered for sexually oriented photographs.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association told the state’s athletic directors Tuesday that Jeff and Zach Edgington were no longer allowed to access to any AIA events.

The Edgingtons are 31-year-old brothers who go by the moniker of the Edge Twins.

An investigation by 12 News found athletes at schools in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Gilbert and Mesa who said they received inappropriate requests from the brothers.

“They just kept asking for pictures of me, and they kept complimenting my body. And it was just like really uncomfortable,” a Mesa High School girls’ basketball player, who asked to remain anonymous, told 12 News.

Ralph Amsden of ArizonaVarsity.com tweeted a slew of allegations, including screenshots of messages, from as far back as 2012 from high school athletes who contacted him about the twins’ behavior.

This evening’s development is that it seems the a large portion of the town of Anthem has known about the issues with the edge twins soliciting lewd photos from teenage girls for ‼️over 10 years‼️. And a lot of these girls sought help. Yet here we are.

— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) May 3, 2018

The athletes’ responses poured in to Amsden after ArizonaVarsity.com tweeted a warning about the Edgingtons’ actions.

Done with @EdgeTwin02 and @EdgeZach. Tried to give you a chance. Tried to give you advice. Tried to keep you from getting yourselves in trouble. But y’all are cancelled. Kids first. Safety first.

— ArizonaVarsity.com 🏈🏈🏈🏈 (@AZHSFB) April 30, 2018

When contacted by 12 News, Zach Edgington denied doing anything wrong.

“I do not think that my twin brother or I have done anything inappropriate. … My response is that there’s nothing with anybody underage,” he said.

“I don’t have any negative thoughts or idea in my head ever. This has blown up where it’s actually causing my brother and I self-harm.”

According to 12 News, the brothers worked as freelance reporters for local papers and websites.

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