Ineligible Player Causes Konawaena to Forfeit Three Wins

An ineligible player used during three of the Konawaena Wildcats’ victories this season has cost them three games this season, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation ruled Thursday.

Two weeks ago, Big Island videographer Rosey Rosenthal reported that the player in question, who had transferred from Kealakehe High School, had not moved into the Konawaena school district. At the time of that report, the league had not received a complaint from any league school about the issue.

A complaint was eventually filed, and after an appeal, Konawaena was forced to forfeit wins against Maui, Hilo, and Honoka`a. After the forfeitures, the Wildcats are now 3-4 overall and 3-1 in Division II league play.

The ineligible player did not play in any games following the league matchup against the Dragons when his eligibility was questioned, which is why games played after the Honoka`a game were not forfeited.

Konawaena is still eligible to win the first round Division II league championship, but with the loss to Honoka`a, the task is a bit tougher to accomplish. The Dragons’ win on Friday put them at 3-1 in the first round, and if Konawaena defeats Kamehameha-Hawai`i on Saturday, that would create a three-way tie for the top mark in the division. The championship would then go down to a second tie-breaker: point differential between the three schools. According to BIIF Executive Secretary Lyle Crozier, Konawaena must win by six points to gain the first round championship. A win by five points creates another tie, and any other scenario gives the Warriors` the first-round victory.