Entire 2022 Maine South high school football season void due to player ineligibility: IHSA – Chicago Tribune

In a major development for suburban high school football, the results for the 2022 Maine high school football season were voided by the Illinois High School Association, which announced the sanctions Wednesday, saying the Park Ridge school used players who did not meet the requirements because they lived outside the attendance limits.

In a rare IHSA knockout, the Hawks’ nine-win 2022 season, including two playoff victories, against Barrington High School, Bolingbrook High School, Evanston High School, Glenbrook North High School, Glenbrook South High School, schools of New Trier School, Niles West High School, South Elgin High School and Stevenson High School, according to the IHSA announcement.

In addition, according to the statement, which also indicates that Maine Southern has been formally notified that future violations could result in the program — one of the state’s most consistent winners — being removed from the program by the end of the 2023-2024 school year. the IHSA state football playoffs.

The Man South Hawks have achieved enviable success in football over the past decades. The team has won six state championships under head coach David Inserro, who has served as head or assistant coach for 28 years.

That made Wednesday’s announcement a surprise to residents of the Park Ridge, Niles and Harwood Heights areas, where the school draws students. Maine South is one of three high schools in Maine High School District 207.

“The IHSA recently received credible information that out-of-district Maine South football players have participated on the team during the 2022 IHSA football season,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a statement.

“The staff of District 207 and Southern Maine Middle School immediately conducted a thorough internal investigation in conjunction with the IHSA after being made aware of these allegations. After careful review, they self-reported violations of IHSA residency regulations by several student-athletes on the 2022 football roster.”

A district spokesman said he could not disclose the specific number of players involved to protect their identities.

“We fully support the IHSA and accept the sanctions,” said District 209 Superintendent Ken Wallace. “Along with Maine South football coach David Inserra, we will work hard to make sure this never happens again. Coach Inserra is a dedicated educator and coach and we know he will work tirelessly with us to eliminate this problem.

“We need to follow the rules and regulations set forth by the IHSA and Illinois state law regarding school housing. In this situation, I am very disappointed in the 2022 Maine football student-athletes who will bear the brunt of these fines. Because of our location and the quality of our schools, we have always had cases where families have attempted to send students to our schools without establishing legal residency.’

District 207 said it was made aware of potential residency violations related to the football program and an investigation was launched, which led to the conclusion that several non-resident students participated on the team in the fall of 2022, the district said in a statement.

After the investigations were completed and the students were due due process, the district notified the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to self-report the violations that resulted in the harsh punishments.

“IHSA regulations are fundamental to (IHSA)’s ability to pursue its mission of ensuring equal participation,” Anderson wrote. “With more than 800 member schools, we expect our schools to follow these rules and cooperate with the IHSA in cases where violations may occur.

“I commend the staff of Maine City High School District 207 and Maine South High School for recognizing the serious nature of these allegations and their diligence in investigating and reporting these violations. I believe that District 207 has already begun to take appropriate measures to prevent similar issues from occurring again in the future, and I will (yes) assist them in this process in any way I can.”

Overturning a high school program’s results for an entire season is an extremely serious position for the IHSA to take.

The NCAA has imposed harsh penalties on colleges and universities for serious recruiting violations, official misconduct or criminal conduct. Southern Methodist University in Dallas once had a “death penalty” and the NCAA forced the school to close its football program.

The famous Jackie Robinson West Little League program on the South Side of Chicago had her 2014 national championship was stripped by Little League’s governing body after a whistleblower discovered that a number of key players were living outside the limits for eligible players.

JRW was so popular as an inner-city program competing against well-funded suburban and smaller-city teams that then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel organized a holiday parade for the kids downtown. JRW shortstop Ed Howard is now a rising star in the Chicago Cubs minor league organization.

Maine South won seven games in the 2022 regular season and two playoff games against Bolingbrook and South Elgin. Glenbard West knocked off the Hawks 37-34 in a third-round playoff game on Nov. 12.