9:54 AM PT -- 12/4 -- The Edinburg football team has been REMOVED from the playoffs over the incident despite winning the game, the school district announced on Friday.

The district says it is also launching a full investigation to "understand the facts and circumstances underlining this incident" ... and vows to take proper disciplinary action based on the results of the probe.

There's also new info on the referee -- 59-year-old Fred Gracia -- who's been working as a football official in Texas for 27 years.

Gracia's daughter went to social media to give a health update -- saying, "He's tough and I'm happy he was able to walk off the field on his own. Others aren't always so lucky."

Disgusting moment at a high school football game in Texas -- where a top player violently exploded on a referee AFTER he had already been ejected ... and the whole thing was caught on video.

It all went down Thursday night right after Edinburg High defensive end Emmanuel Duron was ejected from the game following a late hit penalty against an opposing player in the 2nd quarter.

After the ref announced Duron was disqualified from the game, Duron -- wearing #88 -- sprints back on the field and blasts the ref with a full-speed blindside tackle, sending the official crashing to the ground.

Multiple Edinburg High coaches and players had raced out to try and stop Duron's attack, but they were too late.

The ref was in obvious pain -- and remained on the ground for several minutes. He was later evaluated in an ambulance, according to The Monitor's Andrew McCulloch, who was reporting at the game.

Images from the altercation between Edinburg High’s Duron and the ref in Q2 #RGV #RGVFootball #txhsfb

📸 @monitorphoto @MonitorJoel pic.twitter.com/8pFaX3gNLj

— Andrew McCulloch (@ByAndyMcCulloch) December 4, 2020 @ByAndyMcCulloch

Several police officers escorted Duron off the field -- but it's unclear if he was formally arrested and booked for a crime.

We're reached out to cops and the school district for information -- we'll let you know when we hear back.

Duron is a junior defensive tackle and all-around top athlete. He's scored a rushing TD as a running back and also kicked a 51-yard field goal earlier this season.

He's also a high school wrestling star, whose coach had said to reporters back in March that he's among the best in the state and a clear favorite to win a state title.

Originally Published -- 12/3 7:54 PM PT

This story originally appeared on: TMZ - Author:TMZ Staff