Raiders get forfeit win from Stafford
The Raiders have been awarded a win over Stafford because the Indians used an ineligible player in their Dec. 5 game, Staff-ord athletic director Wes Bergazzi confirmed on Thursday.
“We did [have an ineligible player] and we had to forfeit one game with Stonewall Jackson,” said Bergazzi, who would not identify the player. “He played in two games, but we lost the other one to Osbourn Park.”
Stafford, which slips to 2-3, turned itself into the Virginia High School League after discovering the error. The Indians had to give back their 51-38 home win over Stonewall. In the other game in which the ineligible player participated, Osbourn Park knocked off Stafford, 58-55 on Dec. 11. The individual statistics, including senior guard Brad Hayes’ 26 points against Osbourn Park, still count.
Indians coach Steve Spicer refused to comment on the situation on Thursday. The VHSL office was closed for Christmas break.
This is the first time Stafford has had to forfeit a game in any sport in Bergazzi’s two years as the school’s athletic director. Bergazzi said that Stafford is not appealing the VHSL’s ruling.
“I feel sad that the whole thing happened to our program,” Bergazzi said. “It was no fault of the kid, or the coach, or the program at all. We felt obliged once the situation arose that we had to go through the appropriate channels.”
Stonewall now heads into the holidays with a 1-4 record instead of 0-5. Its next game is Thursday at Lake Braddock in the Bookjamin Holiday Tournament. Stafford will begin its defense of the Fauquier Times-Democrat Holiday Tournament on Friday night. The Indians will face the winner of Thursday’s game between Liberty and host Fauquier.