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JM will forfeit six of its seven wins this season due to an ineligible fifth-year player Date published: 11/16/2009
By Taft Coghill
James Monroe's football season may not end tonight after all. The Yellow Jackets have filed an appeal with the Virginia High School League after JM Coach Rich Serbay yesterday forfeited all but one of the team’s games after he determined that the team had used an ineligible player for all but the game against Orange County High. Serbay, who also serves as the Yellow Jackets’ athletic director, said tonight that he had resigned from that position, but that the resignation had not yet been accepted by James Monroe’s principal or the Fredericksburg school superintendent. The VHSL’s communications director, Mike McCall, said appeals are usually heard every two weeks and the most recent one was held last Tuesday. But Serbay said he will take part in a conference call tomorrow with the VHSL’s executive committee, as the Region I, Division 3 playoffs, which JM qualified for, begin on Friday. McCall said the appeals process is “strictly based on merit.” “It’s a lot to consider,” McCall said. “It’s simply based on ‘Does it meet the requirement to uphold the appeal or deny the appeal?' Serbay said he discovered the infraction yesterday while preparing a roster for the Region I, Division 3 playoffs, which begin on Friday. Serbay said this afternoon that he checked with guidance counselor Paulette Hawthorne this past weekend after receiving a call from someone in the community that the player was ineligible. He also reported it to the JM principal, the superintendent and the VHSL. “It’s the first time this has ever happened to me,” said Serbay, who has been the head coach for 24 years and the athletic director for the past 13. “I take pride in my job and obviously I made a big mistake. It’s going to hurt my team, my program and the community. I’m in pain.” Serbay said faculty members and parents have encouraged him to rethink he resignation as athletic director. “My phone’s been ringing off the hook and no one wants me to resign,” he said, “but I just feel so guilty. I overlooked something. I feel like a criminal.”
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 11/16/2009
There is a key word in FOOTBALL TEAM! TEAM! There was more than 1 player playing in all those games. Whatever the outcome is Serbay, JM Coaches, JM Players have nothing to be ashamed of...hold your head high with respect for yourself, your school, and YOUR COACHES!
Serbay shouldn't resign any position unless he is ready to retire from working. SERBAY FREDERICKSBURG LOVES YOU AND YOU ARE JM FOOTBALL! WE ALL RESPECT YOU!
Yes a mistake was made and rules are rules let the nhsl make the decision. But don't put the character of a man who lives, eats, and breaths for his HS FOOTBALL team on display because a mistake was made. Serbay manned up and was honest about the mistake . Serbay, has always taken care of his players and would not intentionally take a chance on ruining a whole season to let one player play.
Pass Interference in high school and college only gains a team 15 yards from the original line of scrimmage, it's not a spot foul like in the NFL. They did not get the ball at the 1 yard line even if they were at the 16 yard line, it would have been a half the distance to the endzone which would have put it at the 8. If they were around mid field it would have put them around the 35 yard line.
Its almost like karma has came back around on them. In last years semi final game they won It was something like only a minute left in the 4th quarter JM was down by several points. JM was around mid field on a 4th down play quaterback threw a ball into the end zone which was way over the heads of all the players and the refs called pass interferance on the other team and put JM on the 1 yard line. They scored with i think less than a minute left. FLS had a video of the play, Clearly not pass int!
Its almost like karma has came back around on them. Im last years semi final game they won. It was something like only a minute left in the 4th quarter JM was down by several points. JM was around mid field on a 4th down play quaterback threw a ball into the end zone which was way over the heads of all the players and the refs called pass interferance on the other team and put JM on the 1 yard line. They scored with i think less than a minute left. FLS had a video of the play, Clearly not pass int!
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