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The notice said that SP/GT/LM's game against Bullard-Havens Tech, originally a 14-0 Falcons' victory, has been changed to a 6-0 defeat. There was no other explanation and the CIAC office was closed for the weekend.
SP/GT/LM coach Jude Kelly said he was not aware of the action. He said any further questions on the issue would have to be answered by St. Paul principal Daniel Carroll, who was not available Friday evening.
New Britain High athletic director Len Corto was also unaware of the decision.
SP/GT/LM was 2-7 prior to the decision. The Falcons are now listed at 1-8, causing repercussions in the standing of all the teams who have played St. Paul and Bullard-Havens.
SP/GT/LM did not forfeit its Oct. 28 win over Farmington, ostensibly because the two players who New Britain charged were illegally recruited - Davon Davis and Rafal Garcarz - were injured and did not play. Davis played in the Bullard-Havens game in Week 1.
CIAC executive director Michael Savage said on Nov. 1 that the investigation was still ongoing, but hoped to have a decision in place prior to the playoffs, which begin Nov. 28. He also was hopeful that New Britain and St. Paul could work out their differences without the CIAC having to intervene.
"We are anxious to get it resolved because, depending on the results, we have football playoffs and it could impact the power point system," Savage said. "We are keeping an eye on that deadline and the possibility that the issue could impact the playoffs. We want to get it done completely, accurately and quickly."
Savage said that the investigation by former Northwestern Regional-Winsted principal and one-time chairperson of the CIAC board of directors Patricia Llodra would not be complete until it was submitted to the board of control. The board of control meets Nov. 30, two days after the scheduled semifinals and two days before the finals are slated to be played.
The additional win for Bullard-Havens has the most impact on the Class SS race.
Griswold, currently seeded second, defeated the Bridgeport technical school. So did third-seeded Stratford. Both of those teams now accrue 10 extra bonus points to help them stave off the four teams just one game behind them going into the final week of play.
Locally, Berlin had 10 points taken away as a result of the decision, but the Redcoats have clinched a slot in the Class MM playoffs. Losing 10 points, however, will hurt the third-seeded Redcoats' quest to gain a postseason home game. They would have to pass Maloney for second place.
The decision also impacts Northwest Catholic, which is fourth in Class S, but will need the right set of circumstances to hold onto the slot. Either fifth-place Hyde or sixth-place North Branford, which played each other last night, could pass the Indians and the 10 points from the forfeited St. Paul victory may have come in handy.
Northwest's game against Plainville on Thanksgiving will determine whether or not the St. Paul decision was critical.
