Sunnyside forfeits football games due to ineligible player. ‘An oversight,’ coach says
The Sunnyside High football team has to forfeit two games because of using an ineligible player, the Central Section said.
Sunnyside informed the section office that the ineligible player was in the team’s Aug. 30 game against Reedley and Sept. 27 against Madera South.
It turned out to be a JV player who played prior to the two varsity games. Sunnyside was 5-0, but are now 3-2 because of the forfeits.
“There was a mistake made,” Wildcats coach Thomas Wilson said. “It was an oversight and we have made sure it does not happen again. It did not give us a competitive advantage in any way.
“We are focused on the rest of our season.”
The Bee asked how the mistake occurred in the first place and Wilson replied: “We are working as a staff internally to address the problem and make sure it does not happen again.”
This is not the first time Sunnyside has faced a controversy.
In 2022, Sunnyside inaccurately posted stats of quarterback Tanner Wilson that would’ve made him the section’s passing leader for the season.
The correction has since been made.
This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 12:53 PM.
