Hueneme Forfeits Three Wins

Hueneme High has forfeited three nonleague victories after school officials discovered the team used an ineligible player in the games, Principal Roger Rice said.

Rice said the error was discovered Thursday, prompting Hueneme to report the forfeits to the Southern Section and to opposing schools involved on Friday. The Vikings dropped to 1-4.

“I’m just embarrassed for our school and our community,” Rice said. “You can bet it won’t happen again on my watch, but that’s small consolation.”

Rice said Coach Larry Miller mistakenly believed the player in question, a junior reserve, would receive a passing summer-school grade necessary to be eligible this fall.

“Larry was under the impression that a certain grade would be earned and that impression turned out to be incorrect,” Rice said. “There was a miscommunication between the teacher and the coach.”

Rice said the player, whom he declined to identify, did not play in the Vikings’ opening loss to Alemany nor in their third-week victory over Hawthorne.