October 20th 2024.
The El Cerrito football team, known for their exceptional talent, has unfortunately faced a setback in their season. It has been revealed that the team had unknowingly played with ineligible players during their first six games. This information was brought to light through an email from principal Malcolm Norrington, which was provided to the Bay Area News Group by reliable sources.
According to the email dated on Friday, the issue stemmed from a previous ruling by CIF: NCS, resulting in a review of the varsity football roster. After careful examination, it was discovered that some players were not eligible to participate in the games against Amador Valley, Monterey Trail-Elk Grove, Oakland Tech, Campolindo, and St. Mary's-Berkeley. As a result, the Gauchos have forfeited these wins, in addition to their loss against De La Salle.
Norrington's email also mentioned that the school is working closely with district personnel to address and improve their enrollment procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, it did not specify the exact number of ineligible players who were involved in the games.
As a result of these forfeits, El Cerrito's record is now 1-6, with their only remaining win against Salesian on Saturday. It is worth noting that head coach Jacob Rincon has not been present in any games since their matchup against Oakland Tech on September 13th. Sources have informed us that he has been placed on administrative leave, although the reason for this has not been disclosed by the West Contra Costa County Unified School District. In the meantime, defensive coordinator Tim Johnson has stepped in as the interim coach for the team.
When reached for comment, neither Rincon, Norrington, nor the WCCUSD immediately responded. Rincon has been the head coach for the El Cerrito team since 2017, and during his tenure, they have achieved an impressive record of 33-1 against Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division opponents. They have also made it to the NorCal title game for the past two seasons. Currently, the Gauchos are ranked No. 8 in the Bay Area News Group rankings and are considered the fifth-best team in the North Coast Section by Calpreps.
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