League Says No to Appeal by Oxnard

Oxnard High, forced to forfeit eight games for using an illegal football player, was thrown for another loss Tuesday when Channel League administrators denied the Yellowjackets’ appeal to be granted one of the league’s three playoff berths.

At a meeting of principals and athletic directors, the vote was 5-1 against Oxnard, which ran its record to 7-0-2 and seemingly took the league lead Friday night with a 35-27 victory over Dos Pueblos.

Under league bylaws, Oxnard (1-8) was denied a vote.

The decision quashed an attempt by Oxnard to salvage its most successful season since 1986, when the Yellowjackets last reached the playoffs.

It also signaled, perhaps, an administrative shake-up to come at Oxnard, which finds itself embroiled in controversy involving football transfers for the second time in as many seasons.

“There may be some changes,” said Daisy Tatum, Oxnard principal. “I’m [angry]. I hurt for the kids.”

Junior defensive back Adrian Maciel, who transferred in August from Santa Clara, was declared ineligible by the Southern Section on Friday because of what Tatum said was an administrative error.

Maciel, who started at quarterback at Santa Clara, initially was cleared to play at Oxnard due to a combination of rules that include financial hardship, an intra-district transfer and the open enrollment policy of the Oxnard Union High School District.

However, an administrator in charge of filing Maciel’s paperwork with the Southern Section, Tatum said, inadvertently did not recall that the district’s open enrollment period is in November.

Tatum declined to identify the administrator.

“I will do what’s right,” she said.

Oxnard will finish the season Friday night at Santa Barbara. Ventura (6-0 in league), which has a forfeit victory over Oxnard, will play at Dos Pueblos (5-1) on Friday night for the league title.

Rio Mesa (4-2) has clinched third, regardless of the outcome of the Spartans’ game Friday night against San Marcos. Buena (4-5 overall) remains in contention for an at-large berth.

Oxnard Coach Wesley Morimune, who hinted Saturday he might resign over the matter, declined comment. Maciel, expressing the collective mood of the team, said, “I really don’t feel like talking about it anymore. The administration messed everything up.”

According to Southern Section bylaws, players may transfer from a private school to a public school because of financial hardship--a claim made by the Maciel family and substantiated by Tatum. However, the player must attend the public school whose attendance boundaries he resides within.

Maciel lives within the Hueneme attendance boundaries but was granted admission to Oxnard under the district’s open enrollment policy and a district policy of “professional courtesy,” Tatum said, that allows children of district employees to attend any district school. Maciel’s father is a district employee.

The district’s open enrollment policy prevents students from transferring to a school whose enrollment is at capacity. Oxnard is at capacity, Tatum said, but exceptions are made for transfer students who are children of district employees--provided they transfer during the open enrollment period.

Maciel’s eligibility was questioned recently at a league meeting. Once the error was detected, Oxnard administrators reported it to the Southern Section.

Last season, three players who transferred from Rio Mesa to Oxnard were ruled ineligible for seven games because they falsified their addresses.