Wildcats lose 3 wins as WIAA enforces forfeitures

Archbishop Murphy football now stands at 5-4 after the WIAA enforced four forfeits.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association voted on October 29 to uphold the penalties. This action turned three previous victories into losses. The forfeitures stem from a finding that an ineligible player took the field during the season. The ruling came from an appeal hearing regarding a specific player's transfer. The player moved to Archbishop Murphy from Woodinville during the offseason. Investigators looked at the role of a 7-on-7 football program in that transfer.

The WIAA cited Handbook 18.12.5 in its decision. This rule covers students who transfer after receiving personal training from a coach at their new school. An Archbishop Murphy coach was involved with a local 7-on-7 team called Wipe Me Down Boyz. The coach is the brother of one of the players in question. The WIAA determined that this involvement made the student ineligible for varsity play. The athletic department also faces a one-year probation that runs through October 29, 2027. The athletic director, Jeff Latta, must complete additional compliance training by the end of the school year.

The forfeited games include wins against Bellingham, Sehome, and Burlington-Edison. A loss to Anacortes remains on the record. Two other games against Sultan and Lakewood were canceled earlier in the month. Those teams chose to opt out of playing under Northwest Conference rules. The conference counted those opt-outs as wins for the Wildcats. This adjustment set the final season record before the state tournament. Five teams from District 1 will advance to the Class 2A state tournament. Archbishop Murphy holds one of those five spots despite the probation. Lynden, Anacortes, Burlington-Edison, and Squalicum also earned berths.

The school plans to continue its legal challenges. Legal counsel for the Wildcats stated they will seek a permanent injunction. The school believes the current rule is arbitrary. The WIAA Executive Board's decision serves as the final administrative ruling. A student can still appeal to Superior Court within 30 days. That process would involve a new hearing where the prior decision has no weight. The Wildcats defeated Lynden 35-14 on Thursday, hours before the board issued its statement.