GILROY
–– Football games are usually decided between the white
lines.
But a
”
clerical oversight
”
on the paperwork of a transfer student has forced the Gilroy
High football team to forfeit a week-three win over San Lorenzo
Valley
– dropping the local gridmen’s overall record to 3-4-1 and
seriously hindering any chance for a playoff berth.
GILROY –– Football games are usually decided between the white lines.
But a “clerical oversight” on the paperwork of a transfer student has forced the Gilroy High football team to forfeit a week-three win over San Lorenzo Valley – dropping the local gridmen’s overall record to 3-4-1 and seriously hindering any chance for a playoff berth.
The Central Coast Section handed down its final decision last week, although the transfer paperwork for the player had already been submitted and approved.
“We’re hurt and we’re unhappy with the decision,” said head coach Darren Yafai, following the Mustangs’ 27-0 home loss to Palma. “I’m disappointed that CCS wouldn’t take the whole situation into account and make a decision. I think that they made a strict and harsh decision and we’re sad.”
When a player transfers from one school to another within the same section that player’s paperwork must be submitted to the CCS office for approval. In this case, the paperwork was never sent in by the Gilroy High Athletic Department – deeming him ineligible to play any varsity sport.
The player in question – who has lived in Gilroy his whole life and had an older brother play football for the Mustangs – transferred to Gilroy High from Monte Vista Christian at the middle of last school year.
“He hadn’t played any sports. He hadn’t played a varsity sport over there or over here,” Yafai said. “He makes our varsity team this year. It was a clerical oversight. Because he had transferred within a year’s period he had to have a form signed and sent to CCS and CCS approves it.”
Athletic Director Jack Daley was notified by the athletic director at the player’s former school prior to Gilroy’s Oct. 4 game against Monte Vista Christian that he had not seen the paperwork on him.
“It was done in a way that it was just a heads-up,” said Daley, who then realized his oversight and sent in the paperwork. “He became eligible in time for the Monte Vista Christian game. He could have played in that game.”
The seldom-used defensive back played in only one game prior to that. The Gilroy High coaching staff reviewed all the team’s game films and discovered that he was sent in on the second-to-last play in a 30-6 blowout over San Lorenzo Valley.
“We played him the second-to-last play of the game in a 30-6 victory to get the kid a play,” Yafai said. “It came to our attention the next week that his form had not been submitted to CCS. We had the integrity to inform CCS that this was the situation and we need to complete that form. CCS said write a letter to us explaining the situation and so on and we’ll let you know.”
The Gilroy High coaches informed their players of the unfortunate situation that could force them to forfeit their win over SLV and went on with their season – playing four more games before the CCS made its ruling prior to Friday’s loss to Palma.
“He filled out the form. Right when we notified the CCS office, we sent the form in and they faxed it back approved the next day. He was approved. It was a done deal,” said Yafai, who hoped that the CCS would not take the win away because the player was a non-factor in the game. “CCS said no, we have to go by the letter of the rule which states that form was not submitted so therefore he’s not an eligible player and so you have to forfeit that game.
“We said we’d like to appeal this. They said there is no appeal process,” the coach added. “Other sections have appeal processes and other sections have ruled favorably for a school when they’ve looked at the situation as a whole.”
However, CCS does not have an appeal process similar to that of the neighboring North Coast Section – leaving Gilroy with only one option to fight the ruling by hiring a lawyer and taking it to court. Coach Yafai said that was something he did not want to do nor will he.
“He didn’t win the game for us. We didn’t play him the whole game or anything like that. It was the end of the game and the sad part is it hurts all these kids and the fact that it was a formality,” Yafai said. “It would have been a done deal had the paperwork been filed. We said why can’t we appeal it, other sections have an appeal process? CCS said we are aware that other sections have an appeal process. Our section has chosen not to. So their rule was we have to go by the letter of the rule, it doesn’t matter, no exceptions, you forfeit that game.”
Central Coast Section Commissioner Nancy Lazenby Blaser was contacted by The Dispatch on Friday afternoon. But the paper did not receive a call back by press time on Sunday night.
“There’s was nothing intentional or malicious about it. It was a mistake adults made and the kids have to pay the price,” Daley said. “The North Coast Section has an appeal process like that. Our section doesn’t. It was voted on by the Board of Managers at one point in time… This is a perfect case where an appeal process would make sense. Again, unfortunately we don’t have one in our section.”
After winning their first four games, the Mustangs tied Alvarez before losing three straight to Salinas, Hollister and Palma. But with two games still remaining, Gilroy could have been in prime position for an at-large CCS Playoff spot if the team won out and finished 6-3-1. Due to the forfeit, the best the Mustangs can finish is 5-4-1.
“Everybody is hurting. We notified SLV and even their coach said, ‘you beat us fair and square.’ As far as we’re concerned, we know our record is 4-3-1 right now, not 3-4-1,” Yafai said.
“I guess sometimes honest guys don’t finish first.”
