Golden Ruling: Antelope Valley Back in Playoffs

The postseason status of the Antelope Valley High football team, bounced from the Southern Section Division I playoffs this week because it used an ineligible player, apparently was reversed after Golden League principals called an extraordinary meeting Thursday.

A meeting of six league principals was hastily organized Thursday to review for the second time punishment meted out after it was learned that an ineligible player participated in three games for the Antelopes, ranked 13th in the state.

The principals agreed not to divulge the results of the meeting--in which the reinstatement of the Antelopes was considered for 5 1/2 hours--until 8 a.m. today. However, Ridgecrest Burroughs Coach Bob Roseth, whose team was scheduled to replace Antelope Valley, said he was informed late Thursday night that Antelope Valley was reinstated by a vote of 5-1.

“All I know is that a decision was reached and that it was not in our favor,” said Roseth, who didn’t learn of the meeting until 6 p.m. and of its results until 10. “They felt the punishment did not fit the crime.”

Roseth said he will appeal the decision today.

Antelope Valley Principal John Hutak described the meeting as “agonizing,” but declined to provide additional detail.

Principals met earlier this week to discuss the ineligibility issue, and after a secret ballot, ordered Antelope Valley to forfeit league victories over Burroughs, Littlerock and Highland. The shake-up dropped the Antelopes from second in league at 4-1 to last at 1-4. Roseth was told that the forfeits will stand, but that the Antelopes will be reinstated nonetheless.

The ineligible player, a transfer from the state of Washington, was a seldom-used reserve who participated only in the late stages of three lopsided victories. Burroughs assumed Antelope Valley’s position in the playoff bracket and was set to play at Fontana on Saturday night. Burroughs, which finished fourth in the league before the forfeits, has not made the playoffs since 1979.

It remained unclear if Antelope Valley will visit Fontana on Saturday, or play tonight at Antelope Valley as originally scheduled.

“(Saturday) would be my assumption,” Hutak said.

The eligibility issue appeared resolved until Wednesday night, when several parents and players attended the monthly meeting of the Antelope Valley Union High School District and made an emotional appeal.

Consequently, the board voted to appeal the decision and league principals met again Thursday. Five of the six schools in the league are members of the Antelope Valley district.

Burroughs’ players already had turned in their uniforms when Roseth was informed that the Burros were going to the playoffs after all. Roseth held practice the past two days.

“It’s been a fascinating week,” Roseth said Thursday night. “I’m not giving up. We may still come out of this.”

In another strange twist, the ineligible player would be eligible for postseason play. He was ineligible only during the first academic quarter, which ended Nov. 5.

Sharon Moeser contributed to this story.