Placer High School has announced it will forfeit three football wins, including Pioneer Valley League victories over Mesa Verde and El Dorado, because of the use of an ineligible player.
The Hillmen used a junior transfer in their first five games – three wins and two losses – who had played varsity football last season for Jesse Bethel High School of Vallejo before returning to Auburn, where he had attended E.V. Cain Middle School as a seventh-grader.
Placer athletic director Mark Lee said he had checked the player's grades and background and thought he had made a "bona fide" change of residence under California Interscholastic Federation rules.
But because the player moved from a foster care home in Vallejo to a relative's home in Auburn, Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner Pete Saco informed Lee on Oct. 13 that the player required "hardship" transfer paperwork. "There is no one at fault but me," Lee said. "When Pete called, my heart dropped."
Lee said Saco had started the investigation after he received phone calls from other PVL league members inquiring about the transfer.
Lee told the players of the forfeitures after Thursday's practice.
"Telling the team was real hard," said Lee. "I have a great relationship with those seniors."
Placer coach Joey Montoya says forfeiting the games is difficult to swallow so late in the season.
"To have three wins taken away because of a misinterpretation is unbelievable," Montoya said.
Placer now has an overall record of 1-5 and an 0-2 mark in league. Mesa Verde goes from 0-3 to 1-2, and El Dorado goes from 1-1 to 2-0 in league. Rosemont picks up a nonleague win.
The athlete did not play in a nonleague win over Capital Christian.
Montoya and Lee said that despite the horrible news, they expect the players to still make a push for one of the PVL's three Division IV playoff berths.
"It doesn't put us out of the race," Montoya said. "But it just doesn't seem to be fair to the kids."
Call The Bee's Bill Paterson, (916) 326-5506.
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