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Undefeated Kathleen High must forfeit 6 games

Staff photo by PETER MASA

The school said its guidance staff "misinterpreted and/or misapplied" the school district's grade forgiveness policy in allowing the player to qualify academically.

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TBO.com

Published: October 30, 2009

Updated: 10/30/2009 02:53 pm

LAKELAND - Kathleen High School, which had been undefeated, is being told it must forfeit six football games after allowing an ineligible player to participate.

The forfeited games include Class 4A-District 8 wins over Haines City, Bartow and Lake Region. The Red Devils are now 1-3 in the district and eliminated from playoff contention unless the school can win an appeal.

Principal Cecil McClellan calls the situation "heartbreaking.''

"Sometimes life isn't fair. Sometimes life throws blows at you,'' McClellan said. "Sometimes it happens when you're 15, 16 or 17 and sometimes it happens when you're older, an adult. But it's how you deal with it that matters most.''

Kathleen self-reported the violation to the Florida High School Athletic Association. The school said its guidance staff "misinterpreted and/or misapplied" the school district's grade forgiveness policy in allowing the player to qualify academically.

The player participated in Kathleen's first six games, including the season-opening 27-14 win against Jesuit. Those games are being forfeited, dropping Kathleen to 2-6.

McClellan said the school plans to send an appeal letter to Florida High School Athletic Association in Gainesville today asking that the Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 forfeitures be rescinded.

The school's argument is that another school notified the district about the player in question, but there was a delay before the district told Kathleen officials about the problem. If the school knew about the ineligibility question earlier, school officials could have held the player out for those two games, negating the need for those two forfeits.

If the school got two games back in the win column, "there's a chance, there's hope'' the team's playoff hopes could continue, McClellan said.

"The door of success opens widest on the hinges of hope and encouragement and that gives us some hope and encouragement that, you know, our kids could still be in the playoffs, possibly,'' McClellan said. "And that's all we have right now is the hope.''

McClellan said he first shared the news about the forefeits on Wednesday with the football team and coaching staff and told the faculty Thursday.

"I told them we need to continue to be united,'' McClellan said. "There's going to be some hurting kids.''

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