By Logan Brandon • Sports Editor • 

Dayton boys soccer forced to forfeit eight matches

DAYTON – As a result of player ineligibility, the Dayton boys’ soccer team was forced to forfeit eight matches during the current 2019 season, as ruled by the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA). The OSAA informed Dayton’s administration and team of its decision prior to Thursday’s road contest at Yamhill-Carlton.

The Pirates’ initial eight matches of the season, in which an ineligible player competed for Dayton, were ruled forfeits by OSAA’s judicial committee.

Dayton is appealing the decision.

Head coach Jony Miramontes, in a statement to the News-Register, explained, “We played an ineligible athlete in the first half of the season. It wasn’t an issue with grades. With our administration changes this season, he was a player who just slipped through the cracks.”

The forfeits knocked the Pirates from second place in the Class 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 to sixth, eliminating them from a league playoff appearance.

Prior to the ruling, Dayton ranked 15th in the state, but now rates 45th and out of the top-16 state playoff qualifiers.

Miramontes admitted the appeal likely won't reverse the OSAA’s decision.

“At the end of the day, it affects the players the most,” he noted. “It hit us hard. We’ve been working as a team since May. Our guys are still in shock – it’s devastating.

“It erases all of our hard work this season,” he added.

This story will update with new information.

Comments

@@pager@@
Web Design and Web Development by Buildable