Suspensions Don’t Follow the Same Rules

Should a school be removed from the football playoffs for using an ineligible player during the season? Is it fair to penalize an entire team for what probably was an administrative error?

Those are issues City and Southern Section officials are considering this week. They say they are bothered by the inconsistency in decisions regarding such matters.

Two weeks ago, administrators from Placentia El Dorado discovered that the football team had used an ineligible player all season. After reporting that to the Southern Section, the school was removed from the playoffs by its league, which has jurisdiction in such matters. It was replaced by Anaheim Loara three days before its first-round game.

Later that week, the Southern Section asked La Mirada administrators to investigate a tip that the school’s undefeated football team had used an ineligible player all season. The school confirmed the allegation, but its league decided not to remove the team from the playoffs.

La Mirada later changed its story, claiming that further review of the matter indicated no rule violations.

El Dorado might be wondering why it was abruptly removed from the playoffs even though La Mirada was allowed to continue, but such inconsistencies are not new to the Southern Section. Last year, Antelope Valley was removed from the Division I playoffs for using an ineligible player in three regular-season games. The league later reinstated Antelope Valley, which advanced to the semifinals.

“We definitely need some consistency in our rules regarding playoff participation,” said Dean Crowley, Southern Section commissioner. “Once the playoff brackets are set, the commissioner’s office should have more jurisdiction regarding what happens to a team.”

Crowley said he will introduce legislation requiring all schools to have certified eligibility reviews early in the season, making the leagues more accountable for what happens later.

Barbara Fiege, City Section commissioner, agrees that changes need to be made. She spent most of last Tuesday investigating charges that Sylmar used an ineligible player all season. The team’s punishment would have been removal from the playoffs.

Although evidence was conflicting, Fiege allowed Sylmar to play a quarterfinal game against Wilmington Banning on Wednesday, pending further investigation.

“It is not fun to tell a school at this point in the season that they are out for breaking the rules,” Fiege said. “You are unfairly punishing the rest of the players.

“But schools must abide by the rules. A team may have won a few games because of the performance of an ineligible player. If you allow a school to continue to compete for breaking the rules, what kind of message does that send?”

Carson forfeited three regular-season games for using an academically ineligible player, but the Colts qualified for the playoffs despite a 2-8 record. They play at Sylmar in a semifinal game Friday.

Such scenarios show that the sections need uniform rules for punishing schools. Allowing one school to compete but removing another for the same violation raises questions about the integrity of the section. The punishments also need to fit the crimes.

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Los Alamitos and Santa Ana Mater Dei, each 12-0, meet Friday night in a Southern Section Division I semifinal. Anticipating a crowd of 20,000, host Mater Dei announced Monday that the game will be held at Anaheim Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

The schools were considering Cerritos College, which holds 12,000, but the field is being used for a junior college bowl game Saturday night and was not available for the weekend.

Bill Clark, Southern Section associate commissioner, said he approved an $8,000 allowance for Mater Dei, adding that the school will have to pick up the remaining operating expenses. He estimated it would cost about $25,000 to play at Anaheim Stadium.

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Sheila Richter, principal at Covina Charter Oak, clarified her decision Monday to allow star running back Michael Graham to play in last Friday’s playoff game against La Verne Damien.

Graham, a junior who has rushed for 2,266 yards, was arrested at school last Wednesday and charged with suspicion of receiving stolen property. He was released in the custody of his parents later that day.

Richter met with Graham and his parents Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation.

“There are no rules in the book regarding this kind of scenario, and because he is innocent until proven guilty, I didn’t feel right punishing him,” Richter said. “Unless we’re living in a fascist state, I have to respect the rights of my students.”

Graham rushed for 202 yards in 27 carries to lead Charter Oak to a 33-14 victory over Damien in a Southern Section Division VI quarterfinal.

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Bloomington continues to set scoring records, and Friday’s 82-62 playoff victory over Lakewood Artesia is another one for the books.

The combined point total of 144 set a state record, breaking the record of 141 set in 1924 when Santa Rosa defeated St. Helena, 141-0.

Bloomington (12-0) and Artesia (8-4) scored on 11 consecutive possessions in the second half.

Times’ Top 20 Football Poll

The Times’ top 20 high school football poll, with teams from the City and Southern sections.

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Bishop Amat SS I 12-0 1 2. Los Alamitos SS I 12-0 2 3. Mater Dei SS I 12-0 3 4. Hart SS II 12-0 4 5. Sylmar City 4-A 12-0 5 6. Canyon Springs SS IV 11-1 9 7. LB Poly SS I 10-2 7 8. Peninsula SS II 11-1 10 9. Trabuco Hills SS I 10-2 15 10. Bloomington SS VIII 12-0 11 11. Newport Harbor SS V 12-0 13 12. Loyola SS I 8-3 8 13. Antelope Valley SS II 9-2 14 14. Westlake SS III 10-2 6 15. Fontana SS I 8-4 12 16. St. Paul SS I 7-3 16 17. Ayala SS III 11-1 19 18. Diamond Bar SS III 9-3 NR 19. Crenshaw City 4-A 11-1 NR 20. SO Notre Dame SS II 11-1 NR