Archbishop Murphy forfeits four football games after WIAA ruling

Archbishop Murphy football has lost four games it previously won, a result of a new ruling by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. The WIAA Executive Board voted on October 29 to uphold forfeitures after finding that a player who transferred to the school was ineligible for varsity competition.

The ruling changes the Wildcats' overall record from 8-1 to 5-4. The forfeitures apply to games against Bellingham, Sehome, and Burlington-Edison, along with a loss to Anacortes. The team remains eligible for the Class 2A state tournament as one of five entries from District 1.

The ineligibility stems from WIAA Handbook 18.12.5. A player who transferred from Woodinville was involved with a 7-on-7 football team called the Wipe Me Down Boyz. The rule restricts varsity eligibility for students who receive personal athletic instruction or participate with non-school teams if the coaches are affiliated with the school they join.

Archbishop Athletic Director Jeff Latta argued that the coach involved was on-site to support his brother and had no official role with the non-school team. Latta stated that he finds it challenging to track every comment made to students by coaches and affiliated members. He asked the board to apply any penalties directly to him rather than the entire football program.

The WIAA also placed the Archbishop Murphy athletic department on a one-year probation that ends on October 29, 2027. The athletic director must complete additional WIAA-approved compliance training before the current school year concludes. The school's legal counsel indicated they will seek a permanent injunction and request a judge to review the rule as arbitrary and capricious.

The Wildcats defeated Lynden 35-14 on October 29, hours before the final decision was announced. Two other scheduled games against Sultan and Lakewood were removed from the calendar after those teams opted out. The Northwest Conference counts those opt-outs as wins for Archbishop Murphy.

The school plans to continue appealing the decision. Under state law, aggrieved parties have 30 days to appeal to the Superior Court, where the case would be heard de novo.