Team forfeits 3 wins, pays fine for ineligible player

The Coconut Creek football team forfeited three wins, and the school paid a $400 fine because the Cougars were fielding an ineligible player.

The player was ineligible academically with a GPA under 2.0, according to a report from the Florida High School Athletic Association. The report said he was used through Creek’s first four games — three were wins against Coral Springs, Monarch and Hallandale and the other was a loss to Cardinal Gibbons. The violation was self-reported by the school to the FHSAA.

The first game played without the player was Oct. Creek ineligible 13 — a 9-8 victory over Blanche Ely. That’s now the lone win on the record for the 1-6 Cougars. They have dropped district contests against Stranahan and Miami Jackson since.

Coconut Creek coach Gerald Cox and athletic director Charles Hendrix did not immediately return phone calls on Wednesday. FHSAA reports typically withhold the names of players involved, and student academic records are confidential, as well.

Before the forfeitures, Creek appeared to be having somewhat of a resurgent season, starting 4-1 in coach Gerald Cox’s second season after going 1-9 last season. The Cougars last reached the postseason in 2010.

While Coconut Creek again will not be making the playoffs this season, the forfeitures still impact the postseason race. Monarch, having the Week 2 loss flipped to a win, improved its playoff points average. In the latest update from the FHSAA, the Knights are the first team out for a wildcard spot in Region 3-8A, but should Monarch win against Coral Glades (3-5) and Douglas lose to Plantation (8-1) this Friday, they could find themselves in.

Coconut Creek wraps up its season at American Heritage (7-0), the third-ranked team in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

dfurones@ sunsentinel.com / @DavidFurones_