Soccer Team to Forfeit Matches Due to Ineligible Player

GREENSBORO — Smith's boys soccer team is expected to forfeit matches because an ineligible player participated, Guilford County Schools officials confirmed Thursday.

The student, who wasn't identified because of privacy laws, was ineligible for athletics because his participation violated the N.C. High School Athletic Association rule that limits students to eight semesters of competition, GCS athletics director Leigh Hebbard wrote in an email.

The violations have been reported to the NCHSAA, which will rule on the forfeits and can levy a fine.

Hebbard said he didn't know how many of the Golden Eagles' 11 matches the player was in uniform for and would have to be forfeited.

Smith was 4-6-1 going into Thursday's match at Parkland, with two wins over Eastern Guilford and one each over Dudley and Western Guilford and a tie with Northeast Guilford.

Another Guilford County high school, Page, is still awaiting a ruling from the NCHSAA after self-reporting that two academically inelgibile players participated in three Pirates victories in August.

All three wins are expected to be ruled forfeits — Page has updated its schedule and results on the MaxPreps website to reflect the forfeits — and the state association is also expected to fine the school for the violations. Such fines typically range from $100 to $1,000.

The forfeit losses to Davie County, Northern Guilford and Dudley would leave the Pirates with a 2-4 record heading into Friday night's home game against East Forsyth (5-0).

Hebbard also said that a review of the eligibility of students participating in all nine fall sports at Page has been completed and no additional ineligible students had been found. He added that, "There is no reason to believe a review is needed at all schools."

Contact Joe Sirera at 336-373-7034, and follow @JoeSireraNR on Twitter.

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