Playoff controversy

By DAN DAKIN , REVIEW STAFF WRITER

The result of one of The Niagara Falls Review's Thursday Night Lights high school football games has been reversed because the winning team was found to have used an ineligible player.

High school football convenor Rick Willis, of the District School Board of Niagara, confirmed Wednesday Sir Winston Churchill had to forfeit its first two wins of the season after using a player who wasn't allowed to be on the roster.

That means its 62-7 win over Grimsby in Week 1 of the Varsity 1 Division season and its 48-12 Week 2 over Stamford have both been nullified.

The win over Stamford was the second game of The Review's Thursday Night Lights series held at Kalar Sports Park.

As a result of the forfeits, the Varsity 1 playoff picture has been turned upside down.

Sir Winston, which had finished the year at 6-0, dropped to 4-2 to finish fourth in the league. Holy Cross (6-0) finished first while Stamford, now 5-1, moves up to second with Beamsville (5-1) third. As for who those teams were hosting, there was a three-way tie for sixth. Westlane finished fifth in the league and will play at Sir Winston today at 2 p. m. A. N. Myer won a coin toss to finish sixth and will play at Beamsville at 2 p. m. Governor Simcoe finished seventh and will play at Stamford at noon and Eden finished eighth and will play at Holy Cross at 2:15 p. m.

Stamford was originally supposed to play Myer, and will now play the Governor Simcoe Redcoats, a team they beat 35-14 in the regular season.

But Brad Martin, Stamford's head coach, said he's not letting his team get overconfident.

"Two years ago in the playoffs, they beat us in a last-second play. You can't take anything for granted. Anything can happen in the playoffs," he said. "They played us extremely tough and they're a good team."

Quite possibly the biggest loser in all of this is Westlane, because it now has to play in what will likely be its toughest test of the year.

Head coach Jason Babony was infuriated Wednesday afternoon after learning earlier in the day he would have to throw away his preparations for Beamsville and turn his attention to Sir Winston.

"We're appalled and outraged by what has happened as of late," he said. "It seems our team is being punished because of someone else's dishonesty and mistakes."

Babony said he can't understand why the issue wasn't dealt with in midseason when the rumours of an ineligible player first came up.

"We are supposed to change our playoff schedule and prepare for a game against a team that is the defending champion for two years in a row in under 24 hours because the league just up and says so. We prepared for Beamsville's offence and defence all week and now it's all for not."

The four remaining teams after this week will play in the semifinals Nov. 12.

Also as a result of the forfeits, Sir Winston Churchill principal Mike Simpson has removed Peter Perron as the football team's head coach and replaced him with assistant Peter Partridge.

According to Simpson, Perron told him and a Niagara Region High School Athletic Association appeals committee Monday morning the ineligible player hadn't played in the first two games and his number was worn by another player.

"To put it bluntly, Peter misrepresented the situation. He didn't tell me the truth of the matter and the boy in question did play both games and there was a whole series of statements made by Peter that were quite clearly false," Simpson said.

Simpson relieved Perron of his coaching duties Tuesday afternoon.

"My response to the revelation that Peter had misrepresented the facts to the appeals committee was 'Peter, you're relieved of your duties. You're not going to be on the sidelines, you're not going to be coaching and you're not going to be going on the football field,' and that would be for the duration of the season," he said.

Another meeting was held Wednesday afternoon where it was decided no further action would be taken against the football team or its assistant coaches. But the NRHSAA's sanctions committee has decided on further action against Perron, suspending him from coaching football for five years. He will be allowed to coach another sport other than football in 2012.

"They felt it was unprofessional behaviour," said Rina Rode, the NRHSAA's athletic coordinator.

"They've rendered a ruling, specifically with regard to Peter and his future in coaching, which I intend to appeal," Simpson said.

Once the decision is sent out, parties have two days to appeal the decision which will be heard by the NRHSAA's executive. The executive can lessen the punishment, overturn it or uphold the decision. Rode expects the appeal would be heard early next week.

An obviously upset Perron did not want to comment when contacted by Sun Media.

"He's absolutely remorseful. He understands the huge error he has made," Simpson said.