Top-Rated Hart Must Forfeit Opening Win

Hart High, The Times’ top-ranked football team in the region and ranked No. 7 in the state, will forfeit its season-opening victory over Quartz Hill because it used an academically ineligible player.

The unidentified player, a wide receiver, played five plays at the end of a 49-13 rout of the Rebels on Friday night. He did not catch a pass.

Coach Mike Herrington said he realized the mistake while watching game film last weekend.

“I used to laugh at all those idiot coaches who did this and now I’m one of those idiot coaches,” Herrington said. “There are no excuses, but in a regular, tight game he probably wouldn’t have gotten any action.”

Herrington reported the infraction Thursday, after checking the player’s grades.

“It was my fault,” Herrington said. “I try to check all that stuff before the game and he just slipped through the cracks. But we’re telling the kids that as far as we’re concerned, we’re still 1-0. We won on the field.”