Westchester Forfeit Changes Playoff Picture

Westchester High’s football team has forfeited its quarterfinal playoff victory over Granada Hills because the Comets used an ineligible player in the first round against Locke.

Granada Hills will play Wilmington Banning in the semifinals Friday at 7 p.m. at Gardena High.

Granada Hills, which lost to Westchester, 26-21, on Nov. 25, practiced for the first time in more than a week on Wednesday.

“I think the players are excited,” said Darryl Stroh, Granada Hills co-coach. “To me, it’s not a very pleasant thing. It’s not fair to Westchester, it’s not fair to Banning, it’s not fair to us. But it is a game, and we enjoy playing.”

Westchester was declared out of the playoffs after City Section officials determined the Comets used an ineligible player against Locke two weeks ago.

School officials appealed to an appeal panel on Wednesday, but it was rejected.

“It’s a terrible way to end a season,” Westchester Coach Larry Wein said. “I think it’s unfair when we have a whole team eliminated from the playoffs, rather than a player, especially when there was no intent to deceive. We just never had any knowledge that we were doing anything wrong.”

Ed Russell, assistant principal at Locke, said his school informed Westchester last week that it had “suspicions” that a player who transferred to the school was ineligible.

The player involved transferred from Inglewood to Westchester last spring. He was required by City Section rules to seek a waiver to gain immediate eligibility, City Section Commissioner Barbara Fiege said.

Sharon Lilly, principal at Westchester, said her school was unaware that the player in question competed in sports at Inglewood.

City Section rules require any team discovered using an ineligible player to forfeit its last game.

“We’ve been practicing, gearing up all holiday weekend for Westchester,” Banning Coach Chris Gutierrez said. “This just throws a wrench into everything. I know our players are focused. They’re playing Friday night--that’s all that matters. Coaching-wise, we need to change some things.”