Santaluces forfeits victory due to ineligible player

The Santaluces football team is having its best season in years, but there will be another blemish on its final record.

The Chiefs had to forfeit their victory over West Boca Raton because they used an ineligible player in that game and in a loss to Forest Hill, according to a Florida High School Athletic Association report obtained by the Sun Sentinel.

Santaluces self-reported the violation, according to the report. Santaluces coach Brian Coe declined to comment on the forfeit. Principal Tameka Robinson and athletic director Barry Cohen could not be reached for comment.

Santaluces used a student who attended a charter school that does not sponsor sports teams, but the student was zoned for John I. Leonard, not Santaluces, according to the report. The student did not complete the required paperwork to play at Santaluces, and he did not have the required two consecutive semesters of grades, according to the report.

The report says Santaluces was in violation of FHSAA bylaw 9.4.1.3 (which requires student-athletes attend school and received grades for all classes for two consecutive semesters) and 9.2.2.2 (which requires charter school students play for the school they’re zoned for or one they can enroll at via open enrollment) as well as Policy 16.9.6 (which punishes use of an ineligible player).

In addition to the forfeit, Santaluces has received an official reprimand and must pay a fine of $200.

Santaluces is in the midst of its best season since 2013. Before forfeiting their win over West Boca Raton, the Chiefs were 5-3 with an opportunity to go 7-3 if they won their remaining games against Park Vista (5-3) and Olympic Heights (4-4).

The forfeiture could mean teams Santaluces played will be negatively affected in the playoff standings.

If the Chiefs win out, they will be a 6-4 Category 2 team; a win against them would earn the opponent 45 points and a loss would earn 30. If Santaluces splits or loses both games, they will be a Category 3 team, and a win against them would be worth 40 points while a loss would be worth 25.