i remember getting into a similar situation... i was told by my dad (whose a police officer) my mom (who teaches police at a college level) and my principal that fighting wasn't the answer.
and then my grandfather, a police officer and WWII vet comes over on one of his weekly visits, hears, and tells me to fight. :rolleyes
honestly I think you were headed in the right direction, but things escalated a little too quickly. and just from looking back at my record (suspended from using the school bus in 1st grade, 6 days external suspension, 2 days internal, and countless detentions [yeah i was a piece of work growing up]) there really are few instances where kids need to duke it out as a last ditch effort.
sorry if i'm sounding like a wet blanket, but still, I commend you for sticking up for your friends like that.