Emotions high as Dunbar addresses football forfeits

UPDATE @ 6:10 p.m. (Oct. 30)

Emotions ranged from anger to sorrow during a meeting this evening with parents and players of the Dunbar High School football team that is now disqualified from playoff games.

A student athlete who was ineligible due to grades played in the last two games of the regular season. Most parents and players wanted to know who was responsible for checking grades and why that student wasn’t benched.

School officials said the district and school athletic directors check grades and that a district investigation is ongoing, with more information to be released Thursday.

UPDATE @ 5 p.m. (Oct. 30)

Parents and players of the Dunbar High School football team are meeting with Head Coach Darren Powell at the school a day after news broke that the team had to forfeit their last two games because of an ineligible player.

Our photographer was allowed to sit in on the meeting but school officials would not allow him to record anything.

The forfeits mean Dunbar won’t be participating in the playoffs and it has caused a major shake-up in the state playoff picture, with Belmont getting in and Piqua’s team being ousted based on the points system.

EARLIER (Oct. 29)

WHIO-TV Sports Director Mike Hartsock is reporting a major shakeup in the state high school football playoffs before teams and pairings were scheduled to be announced Sunday.

According to sources, Dunbar played an ineligible player the last two games of the season, including Friday against Belmont. The forfeit allowed Belmont to move into the top eight in the region and make the postseason.

Piqua, which had been eighth in the region according to JoeEitel.com, will be knocked out of he postseason.

Dayton Daily News writer Marc Pendleton will have an update on the situation later this evening.

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