The Goodrich varsity football team’s unblemished record this season is now a thing of the past.
The school forfeited their 28-0 win against Richmond in the Aug. 27 season opener because they used an ineligible junior who had failed a class the previous semester. With the forfeit, the Martians? record drops from 3-0 to 2-1.
Goodrich High School principal Ken Andrzejewski was notified the evening of Monday, Aug. 30 regarding the ineligible player. The following day, he notified the Michigan High School Athletic Association, as well as Richmond High School, of the forfeit.
‘The next game (after the opener) was Parents Night,? Andrzejewski said. ‘What happened is the secretary for the athletic director (Linda May) went over the roster for this year compared to last year. She discovered a name on the roster that had not been on there for two years. She went back and checked his grades. That’s when we found out he was ineligible.?
Andrzejewski said the school will be more careful in the future as far as checking rosters and grades from the previous year to spot ineligible players.
‘At the end of every school year, we produce a list of students who fail any courses,? he said. ‘Since he wasn’t on the team the previous year, no one thought to check. It was an omission that pointed out flaws in our process.?
Andrzejewski said Goodrich coach Tom Alward was notified of the forfeit prior to the team’s Sept. 2 game against Richmond.