Football: Grace Brethren forfeits because of ineligible player; Saddleback Valley Christian declared champion

Simi Valley Grace Brethren has reported to the CIF Southern Section using an ineligible player and thus will forfeit playing in the East Valley Division championship game scheduled for Saturday at San Clemente.

Saddleback Valley Christian has been declared the division champion and will move on to the regional playoffs next week.

Grace Brethren was 13-0 on the season. It rallied from a 26-0 deficit last week in the semifinals to defeat Brethren Christian, 46-41.

The player in question, a transfer student, has been listed as being ineligible for varsity competition on the Southern Section website since Sept. 22. But Coach Josh Henderson said he was never made aware that the player was ineligible in an apparent miscommunication within the athletic department.

“Major mistake,” Henderson said Friday night.

This becomes the latest incident involving ineligible players during the season. Long Beach Poly failed to make the Pac-5 playoffs after having to forfeit victories because of an ineligible player. Lawndale ended up losing a league title because of forfeits for an ineligible player.

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