Capital Christian, Sac-Joaquin Section reach deal that will end the school’s playoff ban
Capital Christian High School and the Sac-Joaquin Section have agreed to a deal that will end their year-long legal fight.
Last July, the section banned Capital Christian’s football team from participating in last fall’s playoffs and this fall’s playoffs because of the school’s participation in a short-lived club football league that formed during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. A hearing was scheduled for Wednesday morning for a federal judge to decide on issuing an injunction against this year’s playoff ban.
But attorneys for both parties asked the court to cancel the hearing because they reached a deal Tuesday. Mike Garrison, Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner, told The Bee his office came to a settlement agreement with Capital Christian that is “similar with the other schools we settled with,” referencing deals reached with Stone Ridge Christian of Merced and Ripon Christian related to their involvement with the club football league.
Like Capital Christian, those schools had their two-year playoff ban cut to one year. All three schools are eligible for the playoffs this fall, if they win enough games to qualify. The three schools remain on athletic probation by the section, which is why none of the three would be allowed to host any playoff football games this season, a financial crunch to programs that sell out.
”We haven’t finalized everything but we are in a settlement right now,” Garrison said. “Our attorneys are working the legal side with their side and working through a process for a resolution. I expect that to happen relatively soon.”
Capital Christian athletic director Aaron Garcia indicated he was happy this year’s football players will have a chance to compete in the playoffs.
“The settlement has been our goal from the start and why we continued this discussion,” Garcia said. “We want to give our kids an opportunity to play in the playoffs. Our ultimate goal is to give our kids the best opportunities to compete. We’re glad to have a shot at the playoffs now.”
The first day of football practice is Monday. Capital Christian went 7-3 last season, winning the Capital Athletic League.
Capital Christian was banned last fall from the playoffs for its involvement in the CAPS League, a short-lived club football league that sprang up in response to a statewide health order designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Capital Christian leased its field and equipment to a club team that was run by Patu and Garcia.
The school argues in its motion and in its federal lawsuit, filed in April, that the Sac-Joaquin Section of the CIF treated Christian schools unfairly and violated their constitutional rights.
Vacaville Christian, Ripon Christian and Stone Ridge Christian of Merced were also all sanctioned for their involvement in the club football league. The Christian schools were the only schools to lease their facilities out to a club football squad for games. A team based in Elk Grove practiced in a public park and played at least one game at Capital Christian. Capital Christian was hit with a two-year playoff ban and its athletics programs were all put on probation as a result of its involvement with the league.
The April lawsuit said the CIF and the Sac-Joaquin Section, which oversees the Sacramento area, violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause on two counts. It also alleged the CIF and Sac-Joaquin Section infringed on Capital Christian’s right to freedom of expression and religion.
This was the second lawsuit filed by Capital Christian in a fight with the CIF that dates back more than a year. The school dropped the first lawsuit in April, before Sacramento Superior Court Judge Laurie Earl could enter a final ruling. Earl decided last November to allow the CIF’s playoff ban to stand rather than grant an injunction to allow Capital Christian to play in last season’s playoffs.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 12:04 PM.