Ineligible Player May Cost Valley SCC Title

The Valley College football team may have to forfeit its share of the Southern California Conference title and a chance to play in a postseason bowl for using an ineligible player, the athletic commissioner for the California Assn. of Community Colleges said after reviewing a conference investigation Wednesday.

Bart Hornback, a transfer from Harbor who appeared in three conference games this season for Valley, violated three eligibility standards for students who transfer between state community college athletic programs, the SCC investigation revealed.

State rules mandate that Valley must forfeit the three victories in which Hornback appeared. The penalty would drop Valley from first to fifth place and eliminate it from contention for the SCC Bowl on Dec. 6.

Valley has appealed the conference ruling and will have a hearing before a state panel by the end of next week, said Walt Rilliet, state athletic commissioner.

The Monarchs won their last six games to tie for the SCC championship. College of the Desert, which defeated Valley on Sept. 27, concludes its season Saturday against Harbor. If Desert wins, it will play host to the SCC Bowl. If Desert loses and Valley wins its appeal, the Monarchs are in.

“The sad part is that it comes this late in the season when championships and bowl games are on the line,” Valley Athletic Director George Goff said.

Goff declined to comment further. Valley President Mary Lee also declined comment.

Hornback, the object of the controversy, has played a total of four games in his junior college career. He appeared in one series of downs in Harbor’s season-opening game with Moorpark in 1985 before being cut from the team, an SCC official said. He then attended Southwest College in the spring semester before enrolling at Valley in the fall.

Harbor filed a protest with SCC Commissioner David Hofiz after Hornback appeared in Valley’s 50-21 victory over Harbor on Oct. 11, conference president Jim Raack said. Hofiz’s investigation found that Hornback fell short of three eligibility requirements for athletes who transfer between state community colleges, and ruled last week that Valley would forfeit the three conference games in which Hornback played, Raack said.

Transfer students are required to complete 12 units in residence at the school to which they transfer, and pass 24 units between seasons of competition. Raack said Hornback fell short in both requirements, and also was not included on a participation roster by Valley.

Lee, the Valley president, appealed Hofiz’s finding to an SCC committee Monday. The panel confirmed Hornback’s ineligibility but recommended that penalties against Valley be waived because of extenuating circumstances.

Those circumstances include evidence that Hornback was never eligible to play at Harbor, which would eliminate him from transfer requirements, a conference source said. Valley also tried to obtain the necessary information on Hornback’s eligibility from Harbor, Raack said, but was unsuccessful.

Hofiz did not return phone calls this week.

Rilliet said possible rule violations at Harbor may result “in both schools forfeiting contests, not only for this year, but for last year, too.”

Hornback, one of 12 running backs on Valley’s opening-day roster, rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and caught 10 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns this season.

“It’s not there was any malicious intent on our part,” Valley Coach Chuck Ferrero said. “What the hell do I need an 11th-string tailback for, anyway?”

If Valley’s appeal is denied, its record would drop to 2-4 in conference. Harbor would improve from 3-2 to 4-1, making its game with Desert on Saturday a showdown for the SCC title.