I have a little different take. I would not be surprised if FH turned themselves in. Now hear me out. I stated in a different post that it's no secret that everyone in town knows where said kid is from. FH has dealt with transfers enough to know the proper procedures, and to do its due diligence to make sure these transfers are eligible. Alkire and his staff are not stupid enough to play a marginal player with any inkling of eligibility status looming. Especially with the whole area watching. Me being a somewhat sensible person believes that FH has paperwork saying said player was eligible. That being said I believe the BOE decides eligibility, not the administration or coaches. Now is it possible that under further review this player or parents falsified information to create eligibility. It wouldn't be the first time. Ineligible is Ineligible and I get that. Games he played could and maybe should be forfeited, but not cancel the remaining season if the school was not at fault. Someone from outside of the FH administration had to declare his eligibility. Better to take care of it sooner than later. Stop blaming and let Karma handle it.
We know who turned FH in. Can't fart in Cumberland and keep it a secret. Doesn't matter at this time. Maybe it will later.
Once the Allegany County Board of Education PPW (Pupil Personnel Worker) approves a student to transfer and be eligible at that school, the school is obliged to take them. Coaches or staff have nothing to do with clearing the eligibility of a student. Nor is it their responsibility to follow up on where a student is sleeping on a daily basis. The family turns in their records and that is the end of it. Until something like this arises.
I will have so much more on this after Homecoming. People at the BOE dropped the ball and the team/fans have to pay for it. There will be an appeal on Monday before the official playoff pairings are announced. I don't anticipate any budge from the stupid COMAR regulations the MPSSAA blindly adapts.
Now let's go build Mountain Ridge and Alco a new weight training facility, but take that funding for Fort Hill and say we are putting it into rebuilding the stadium they share with Alco instead of replacing the weight room in the women's old gym built in 1935. On top of that, let's take away the Fort Hill practice fields in the name of parking and safety. What do they need regulation practice fields for like the other county schools get brand new? It took four years of playing baseball at the Hot Stove Fields for FH to finally get Washington Middle School fixed up for baseball and playable again. Yea, BOE heads...you hear me. If not, you will.
