re: Acadiana to forfeit 3 games?

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The Acadiana Wreckin’ Rams will have to forfeit at
least three games and possibly a fourth game after
discovering they played an ineligible player in those
games.

The player in question is a senior defensive lineman
who transferred into Acadiana this spring. Acadiana
coach Ted Davidson said the violation was
discovered during a routine check.

“It was a misrepresentation of a kids’ age by the
parents,” Acadiana coach Ted Davidson said. “I take
full responsibility. He was a third-string defensive
lineman that got in maybe four games. If they’re
looking for a blame, blame me because it slipped
through the cracks.

“Maybe we weren’t as efficient as we should have
been on it.”

Davidson said the player transferred to Acadiana
from Texas this spring and his birthdate on his
transcripts said Sept. 28, when in fact the player’s
birthday was May 28. A student is not eligible to
participate in athletics if he/she turns 19 years of
age prior to Sept. 1 of the current school year.

“We found it during a routine check of the folders
and we pulled the birth certificate and it didn’t
match up with the transcripts,” Davidson said. “We
self-reported the violation. We haven’t completed
the review yet, but we know he didn’t play against
Parkview, Comeaux, STM or Barbe. He played against
Northside, LaGrange and Sulphur. I don’t think he
played against McDonogh #35, but we’re checking
on that.

“If it ends up being that we forfeit those three, we’re
4-4 and we have to battle to win these last two to
get in the playoffs. It’ll give us a mission. You try to
look for silver linings. You can’t wallow in self-
pity.”

Davidson said he hadn’t told the players
immediately and would wait until after practice to
break the news.

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