Canyon Forfeits 2 Nonleague Games in Football for Using Ineligible Player

Canyon High will forfeit two nonleague football games because the Cowboys used an ineligible player, but the forfeits did not affect Canyon’s entry into Friday night’s Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Canyon, which had a 6-3-1 regular-season record, will forfeit a 14-14 tie with Notre Dame and a 16-12 victory over Thousand Oaks, lowering the Cowboys’ mark to 5-5. Both games were played in September.

The forfeits, which officially will be recorded by the Southern Section office next week, stem from the use of a sophomore offensive lineman who played on the kickoff-return teams in those games despite being underage, according to Canyon Coach Harry Welch. State rules forbid players under 15 from competing in varsity football.

The player, whom Welch declined to identify, did not turn 15 until Oct. 26. He was demoted to the sophomore team after the Thousand Oaks game, rejoined the varsity Nov. 1 and is still on the team.

Canyon officials checked the player’s birth date Friday after receiving an anonymous phone call Thursday.

“I feel awful about it,” Welch said Friday. “It’s my own oversight. I never felt it was my responsibility to check on academic, residential or chronological eligibility of players, but I’ve done it in previous years anyway. This year, there were distractions and my time was limited.”

Welch was referring to the controversy surrounding the program since allegations arose in May that Canyon had conducted an off-season practice in violation of Southern Section rules. The section had suspended Welch for 5 1/2 months but the 10-year coach won an injunction to block the suspension. He also won a court order to block an investigation of the Canyon program.

“I’m in no way trying to excuse it, but this will be used for fodder by our critics,” Welch said. “We’re under the microscope. That’s not wrong, just uncomfortable.”