An ugly situation Thursday during the final minutes of a Blossom Valley Athletic League boys soccer game has resulted in a double-forfeit for the schools involved, as well as forfeits of Monday night’s scheduled games, said a Central Coast Section official.
Leland and Evergreen Valley were the teams absorbing the forfeits Thursday and they will also forfeit their scheduled games for today, Leland vs. Del Mar and Evergreen Valley against Sobrato.
“There was a situation at the end of the game with less than two minutes left where a verbal altercation turned into a more physical altercation,” CCS assistant commissioner Steve Filios said. “There were at least two visible punches thrown and a significant number or perhaps all of the players left their benches, which is a problem.”
According to National Federation rules, any player who leaves the bench is automatically ejected. Since all of the players were ejected, not enough are available for tonight’s games, resulting in forfeits for each team.
The referees called an end to the game following the skirmish.
Colette Kirk, the BVAL Commissioner, made the ruling on Thursday’s game in which Leland led 1-0 with under a minute remaining.
“She deemed that because of the behavior neither team should earn a win,” Filios said.
Kirk was not immediately available for comment.
“It’s an unfortunate situation when a game can’t be completed because of an altercation,” Filios said. “It goes without saying that sportsmanship is a high priority. It’s a physical sport, but there’s no place in it for physical altercations or punches thrown or pushing and as for players leaving the bench, the National Federation rulebook is very clear on that.”
