Estancia Boys Must Forfeit Five Soccer Games

The Estancia boys’ soccer team will forfeit five Pacific Coast League games for using an ineligible player, Estancia boys’ Athletic Director Ed Blanton said Monday.

Estancia was in first place in the league after finishing the first round, 4-0-1. The Eagles will forfeit those five games, Coach David McKiernan said.

“I explained it to the team but it’s hard for them to stomach,” McKiernan said. “It wasn’t the kids’ fault . . . it was an administrative blunder.”

The ineligible player was a fifth-year senior, Blanton said, which is a violation of the CIF Southern Section Bylaws Article 2.202, stating: “A student who first enters the ninth grade of any school . . . may be eligible for athletic competition during a maximum period of time that is not to exceed eight semesters.”

Blanton said, “This kid took summer school and was making progress toward graduating, so a previous administrator agreed to let him come back to school. No one in our athletic department was aware he was a ninth-semester senior until it was brought to my attention recently.

“I really can’t pinpoint whose fault it is . . . this kind of fell through the cracks. I feel sorry for Dave and his players because it was nothing that they did, but they will suffer the consequences.”

McKiernan said the Eagles could still qualify for the playoffs if they win their remaining four league games. Friday, Estancia played without the ineligible player and defeated Costa Mesa, 4-0.