San Clemente High football team remains out of the playoffs after ruling by CIF officials

San Clemente High’s football team remained out of the CIF Division 2 playoffs as of Thursday afternoon after the CIF’s ruling on Tuesday.

As a result, San Clemente wll forfeit all of its games this season and Chaminade will advance to the CIF Division 2 finals.

 In its release, CIF officials said that a “San Clemente High School football player has been determined to be in violation of CIF State Bylaw 202 (Accurate Information), and Bylaw 510 (Undue Influence, Pre-Enrollment Contact, Failure to Disclose Pre-Enrollment Contact and Athletically Motivated Transfers). 

“These violations resulted in the CIF Southern Section being required to enforce Bylaws 3311.A and 3311.C  CIF Southern Section Bylaw 3311.A states the following, ‘Games in which the student participated, after the occurrence of the violation shall be forfeited. (See Bylaw 500.2)’ 

“CIF Southern Section Bylaw 3311.C states, ‘Violations discovered after the first round of any playoff will result in disqualification of the ineligible player’s team from the playoffs, and forfeiture of its last playoff competition.'”

The CIF release did not name the ineligible player.

San Clemente was scheduled to play Chaminade Friday in the semifinals at San Clemente, but now Chaminade wins by forfeit and moves on to face the winner of the other semifinal between Sierra Canyon and Rancho Cucamonga, according to the release.

The release stated that the player had a right to appeal the decision. It’s not known whether there was an appeal, but San Clemente remains out of the playoffs.

“As of 2:09 pm today (Thursday) they are still out of the football playoffs,” said Thom Simmons, assistant commissioner of the CIF.

San Clemente athletic officials have not responded to a request for comment from OC Sports Zone.

UPDATED SCHEDULE FOR CIF FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com