Posted on: Saturday, January 12, 2002

Pearl City boys soccer team forfeits matches

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Defending O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys' soccer champion Pearl City has forfeited five wins and two ties for using an ineligible player, the school and the league confirmed yesterday.

The Chargers, who were in second place in the OIA West with two matches left in the regular season, dropped to 0-7. The top six teams from each division advance to the OIA playoffs, so even if the Chargers win their final two matches, they would not be enough to squeeze them into the playoffs.

The top six teams in the division are Mililani (8-0), Campbell (6-1-1), 'Aiea (4-1-2), Leilehua (4-3), Radford (4-3) and Wai'anae (2-3-2).

Other teams that would have a head-to-head, tie-breaking advantage against Pearl City are Waipahu (2-4), Kapolei (1-4-2) and Waialua (1-6-1). The records have been adjusted to reflect the forfeits.

Pearl City athletic director Roy Ichinose said the player's ineligibility, which "had something to do with grades," was not discovered until recently. The school reported the violation to the OIA office Thursday night.

The Chargers have a match at 'Aiea tonight and will play host to Leilehua on Tuesday. Pearl City will finish the season without the ineligible player, Ichinose said.

The Chargers, winners of five OIA titles, have been one of the most successful programs in the state.

They have qualified for the state tournament 12 times since 1986. Last year, they advanced to the state semfinals, where they were eliminated by Hilo.