November 5th 2024.
During the past few months, El Cerrito's football team has been facing some unexpected challenges, causing their season to come to an end earlier than they had hoped. In a letter sent to football families on Monday, the West Contra Costa Unified School District revealed that the Gauchos will most likely be banned from participating in the North Coast Section playoffs, which are set to begin next week. This news came as a surprise, as the team was still expected to make the playoffs despite forfeiting five victories due to the use of ineligible players.
The turmoil for El Cerrito began when it was reported that their coach, Jacob Rincon, had been placed on administrative leave. This was followed by the forfeited wins, and now the looming ban from the playoffs. Despite having a sub-.500 record after the vacated wins, the Gauchos were still confident in their abilities and were looking forward to facing tough competition such as De La Salle, Pittsburg, and San Ramon Valley in the playoffs. Unfortunately, it seems that their season will now come to an end this Friday against De Anza.
In the letter to football families, the district explained that they had initiated a self-reporting process and were working closely with the North Coast Section to ensure compliance with CIF regulations during an ongoing investigation into the eligibility of their student-athletes. They also mentioned that they expect sanctions to be imposed on El Cerrito in the near future, with one of them being a ban from the playoffs. This ban was described as the "best-case scenario," and it was emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing, meaning that more sanctions could be imposed.
According to the letter, the district believes that their cooperation during the investigation may have helped them avoid even harsher penalties for not just the football program, but also other athletic programs. However, a message to NCS commissioner Pat Cruickshank seeking further clarification was not immediately returned. In the meantime, acting head coach Tim Johnson expressed his disappointment in the situation, stating that the team was caught off guard by the news.
Johnson also shared his concerns for the players, who have been working hard and using football as a means to achieve their dreams and goals. He believes that this sudden turn of events could have a negative impact on their mental state and potentially have long-lasting effects on their lives. Johnson also expressed frustration with the fact that adults who have no relationship with the players are making decisions that will greatly impact their lives.
For the senior players, this news is especially disheartening as they were hoping to make history by winning their third consecutive NCS championship, each in a different division. Johnson expressed his disappointment in the fact that these players have been robbed of the opportunity to compete and showcase their skills. Despite the difficult situation, the team will continue to work hard and support each other, and hope for a positive resolution in the future.
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