McCarthy forfeits games, is fined

Ineligible players not used in postseason run

ArchbishopMcCarthy is facing stiff penalties after an FHSAA investigation found the school’s state champion baseball team fielded ineligible players who received impermissible benefits.

The Mavericks, the top-ranked team in the nation and winners of seven Florida Class 6Atitles over the past eight years, was fined nearly $16,000, must forfeit all of its regular-season wins and will be placed on probation, according to findings handed downto school officials by the Florida High SchoolAthleticAssociation.

McCarthy will retain its 2017 state baseball title since the ineligible players did not participate in any postseason contests, FHSAAspokesmanKyleNiblett said Thursday.

Archbishop McCarthy finished 29-2 in capturing its third consecutive state championship on June 3. MaxPreps.com on Wednesday announced the Mavs landed the No. 1 spot in its the composite national rankings.

During its investigation, which began in February following an anonymous tip, the FHSAA discovered three players received impermissible benefits, including housing and tuition assistance, fromrepresentatives of the baseball program.

MikeSagaro, whoruns the travel baseball program MVP Banditos and has a son on the Mavericks team, was named in the report as having provided illicit benefits to a number of players. An American Express card belonging to Sagaro was connected to tutition accounts of all three players, the report said.

Sagaro was also found to have provided improper temporary housing to one player when the athlete’s motherwasworking out of town.

Calls to Sagaro for immediately returned. comment were not