Miami Central football forced to forfeit all of its wins due to use of ineligible player
Miami Herald | By Andre Fernandez | November 4, 2024
Miami Central’s football season appears to be over.
The Rockets were forced to forfeit all eight of their victories this season on Monday when the Florida High School Athletic Association deemed it used an ineligible player in those games. Central was also fined $900 for the violation.
According to the FHSAA’s written ruling sent to Miami Central High, the Rockets used a fifth-year student-athlete in all nine of their games this season and self-reported the violation. The FHSAA stated the student entered the ninth grade during the 2020-2021 school year. The student-athlete’s name was redacted from the report, but the report states the student-athlete is no longer a member of the Central football team.
As a result of the violation, Central is officially reprimanded by the FHSAA and has been placed on administrative probation until Nov. 1, 2025. The report states that Central has the right to appeal the FHSAA’s decision within the next 10 business days.
The Rockets, who were 8-1 this season on the field and ranked as high as No. 6 nationally by USA Today, entered the week as the top overall seed in Class 3A and eighth overall in the state.
With an 0-9 record after the forfeits, Central would not rank in the top eight in its region to qualify for the postseason and would vacate its district championship.
The FHSAA is set to release its updated power rankings on Tuesday with the final playoff seedings to be announced at the end of the week.
But Central can do little to affect the outcome since it has already completed its regular season. The Rockets were vying to win their fifth state title in six seasons and 10th overall.
The ruling comes a week after Miami Norland and Davie Western were also forced to forfeit games for using ineligible players.
Several teams stand to benefit from this ruling in terms of playoff seeding.
Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy would be declared the District 15-3A champion should it beat Pompano Beach on Thursday night.
The biggest benefactor, however, figures to be longtime rival Miami Northwestern, which is in its first season under coach Teddy Bridgewater, currently the No. 2 seed in Region 4-3A and was expected to be the only team that could challenge the Rockets on the road to state.
The Bulls (7-2) dropped a close game to Central, 24-21, on Oct. 4 at Traz Powell Stadium and many expected the teams to meet again in the regional finals. Northwestern officially gets the win following the forfeit and the top seed in the region.
Central finished the regular season on an eight-game winning streak following a season-opening loss to Lakeland. The forfeits add an extra win on the records for Miami Edison, Miami Booker T. Washington, Plantation American Heritage and Miami Norland.
Heritage and Norland remain the top two seeds — in that order — in Region 4-4A. Edison is the No. 3 seed in Region 4-1A and Booker T. is currently the top seed in Region 4-2A.
