Michigan high school football team removed from playoffs over ineligible player - USA Today

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Grand Rapids Catholic Central has been removed from the Michigan High School Athletic Association's 11-player Division 5 football playoffs after using an ineligible player in six games during the regular season.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central has been removed from the Michigan High School Athletic Association's 11-player Division 5 football playoffs after using an ineligible player in six games during the regular season.

The MHSAA announced the postseason disqualification Thursday, Oct. 29 — one day before Catholic Central was scheduled to host Comstock Park in a district semifinal.

Comstock Park will advance to the district final, where it will face either Berrien Springs or Lake Odessa Lakewood. Those teams are scheduled to meet Friday in the other district semifinal, with the district final set for the first weekend of November.

Catholic Central finished the regular season 7-2, including a 5-1 record in games in which the ineligible player participated. The school will forfeit all six games in which the player appeared.

However, the forfeitures will not impact the playoff-point averages of the opponents who receive additional victories. Those results also will not change any teams' playoff matchups this week or for the remainder of the postseason.

"Throughout the investigation, Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s administration has been fully cooperative and highly professional," MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in a statement.

The school was notified of the violation and its removal from the playoffs Thursday. The MHSAA said it would have no further comment at this time.

Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @AlexMartinUSAT or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports onInstagram andX.

Original Source
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2026/10/30/grand-rapids-catholic-central-rmichigan-football-playoffs-ineligible-player/92512693007/
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