Sweetwater to File Complaints on Castle Park Game

Sweetwater Coach Gene Alim said he will contact San Diego Section Commissioner Kendall Webb and Metro Conference President Alan L. Sachrison today to file a complaint alleging poor officiating and “unethical” football coaching in the Red Devils’ 25-20 loss to Castle Park Friday.

Alim said the Trojans’ game-winning 55-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter came on an illegal fake punt, on which Dejuan Franklin--who caught the pass--sneaked onto the field.

Alim was critical of the officials, whom he said never discussed the play after signalling a touchdown, and the tactics of Castle Park Coach Al Duke, Alim’s former colleague at Hilltop.

Alim said Franklin never huddled with the team but entered the play from the sidelines just before the ball was snapped. He said assistant coaches saw Franklin sneak onto the field and the game film proves their claim.

“The kid was standing between two coaches on the sideline,” Alim said. “He was behind the official, then he stepped onto the field. We saw it, we were yelling. It’s illegal and unethical. The officials would not discuss it as an officiating crew nor did they talk to me about it.”

Alim said CIF rules do not allow any player in the play beyond 15 yards from the huddle. He said Castle Park should have been penalized for that and the fact it had less than seven players on the line of scrimmage. He said he is also angry at Duke’s staff for allowing their players to disrupt Sweetwater’s homecoming pre-game ceremonies.

“We’ve got film of their players coming out on the field and flipping off the fans and the players,” Alim said. “It was a classless act, and I hope it’s brought to people’s attention.”

Duke was not available for comment Sunday night.