The resurgent Watkins Mill football team must forfeit three of its four football victories for using two ineligible players, principal Pete Cahall said yesterday. The players failed to meet academic requirements for eligibility.
Watkins Mill’s forfeiture is one of several in Montgomery County this fall. On Thursday Superintendent Dr. Jerry Weast sent a letter to athletic directors urging increased vigilance as ineligibilities have forced several teams to forfeit games this fall.
Weast named eight schools that have used ineligible players — Bethesda-Chevy Chase (four students), Churchill (two), Einstein (24), Quince Orchard (two), Walter Johnson (three), Watkins Mill (six), Wheaton (three), and Whitman (one).
Two weeks ago the Examiner reported that Einstein was under investigation for “allegations of grade changing,” according to schools spokesman Brian Edwards. The Titans football squad and other teams at the school are subject to the investigation.
According to a source with knowledge of the Einstein situation, the allegation concerns the changing of grades last spring and summer, before the arrival of new athletic director Brady Blade and football coach Mike Bonavia.
Whitman athletic director Dave Magathan said that his school’s boys soccer team must forfeit two victories for using an academically ineligible player.
Athletic directors at Wheaton and B-CC said that their ineligible players are from their junior varsity football teams. Wheaton will forfeit one win, B-CC two.
Walter Johnson’s ineligible players include two varsity and one junior varsity football player, according to athletic director Sue Amos. The WJ varsity is winless.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Quince Orchard golf team and the Rockville boys soccer squad also have forfeited victories.
The mood was somber at Watkins Mill yesterday afternoon when Cahall informed the football team of the forfeits. Spirit had been high this fall as the Wolverines, two years removed from a 1-9 season, were pursuing a playoff berth.
“That was the second most difficult thing I’ve had to do as a principal,” said Cahall of giving the Wolverines the news.
Cahall said the most difficult came early this year when popular athlete and football player Mike Tyler died of injuries sustained in a wrestling match.
Watkins Mill’s three other academically ineligible athletes participated for junior varsity teams.
“It’s human error,” said Cahall. “I’ve got to sit down with the key people, the athletic director, the registrar, the coaches. We need to have a system to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
