City Section Puts Banning on Probation : Football: High school is penalized for skipping the Dorsey game for safety reasons. Pilots must play at Dorsey next year, too.

The Banning High School football team was put on probation until the end of the 1992 season Tuesday for forfeiting a Nov. 1 conference game against Dorsey that was to have been played at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Banning, located in Wilmington, also must play Dorsey at Jackie Robinson Stadium during the regular season next year. The normal schedule rotation would have made it Banning’s home game. The Pilots, therefore, must play an extra road game in 1992.

The rulings were made by the CIF City Section’s Interscholastic Athletics Committee, of which Banning Principal Augie Herrera is chairman. Herrera did not preside over this portion of the meeting but did vote on the matter.

“I’m obviously very disappointed by what has happened,” Herrera said. “I think this matter was decided well before today’s meeting.”

A proposed recommendation to ban teams that forfeit regular-seasons games from the playoffs was tabled for one month in an effort to include punishments for teams that forfeit games but do not qualify for the playoffs.

The penalties for Banning were proposed by the Rules and Games Committee at a meeting last Thursday. The 14-member committee voted unanimously on the recommendations.

Under City rules, Banning can appeal the decision. Herrera said he will meet with his staff before deciding if he will file an appeal.

Dorsey was seeded first Tuesday night in the 4-A City playoffs, which begin Nov. 22; Banning was seeded third. The two teams could play each other if they reach the championship game.

The controversy stemmed from Banning’s decision not to play Dorsey at Jackie Robinson Stadium because of the fear of gang violence. The area around the stadium has been the site of what is believed to be two gang-related shootings in the past month. Banning coaches and players said they feared for their safety.

Although IAC members debated the punishments for 90 minutes, most felt the City had to take a tough stand to avoid future forfeitures.

Regarding next year’s game against Dorsey, Herrera said: “I have my work cut out for me to mend fences in our community. We have to play this game next year or the consequences will be clear. Our people were confident this year that our decision to forfeit would not affect the playoffs.”

IAC member Sue Kamiyama, of Bell High, said the decision to play next year’s game at Dorsey was made so the school could make up lost revenue and to restore relations between the communities. She said Dorsey probably lost at least $5,000 in revenue because of the forfeit.

Several parents of Banning players were at the meeting and urged the committee not to further punish the school.

“We request that . . . our boys not suffer anymore than the forfeit,” Christine Padilla said.

Helen Morales, whose son Christopher is a senior offensive lineman for the Pilots, said she would not allow him to play at Jackie Robinson Stadium next season even if he had another year of eligibility.

“The area is not safe, and I have a concern for my child’s safety,” she said.

Dorsey Coach Paul Knox said the punishments were what he expected and looks forward to playing Banning in the playoff final.

“Our team would just like to go out and play and try to put all of this behind us,” Knox said.

PAIRINGS: C8