Florida HS football team forced to forfeit state championship

Pahokee High School, north of Fort Lauderdale, finished last season undefeated, beating Baker High School 34-21 in the Class A state championship. After the season, the school was notified of the ineligible player and conducted an investigation before reporting its findings to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). On Monday, the FHSAA announced its ruling, which also included a $1,400 fine.

According to the FHSAA, the player entered ninth grade in August 2012, making the 2016-17 school year his fifth year. The player is a student at Everglades Preparatory Academy, which is a charter school in Pahokee.

He was participating for the Pahokee football team as a non-traditional student.

Pahokee was found to be in violation of an FHSAA bylaw that states that a high school student has four consecutive years of eligibility beginning with the school year he/she begins ninth grade for the first time.

Pahokee principal Michael Aronson told the newspaper that the state’s computer system did not flag the player as ineligible. He said the school would appeal the ruling.

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