The CIAC learned Monday morning that Bridgeport Central had used an ineligible player in Saturday’s quarterfinal Class LL soccer game against Hall.

The Hall boys soccer team played Bridgeport Central on Saturday, and has now been declared the winner after the Hilltoppers forfeited. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

The Hall boys soccer team learned Monday that their season is not over and the Warriors will face no. 1 seed Glastonbury on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Middletown High School in the Class LL boys soccer semifinals.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Hall head coach Zeke Seguro said at 1 p.m. Monday. Seguro had learned Monday at about 10 a.m. that Bridgeport Central had forfeited and Hall would move on to play Glastonbury.

West Hartford Athletic Director Betty Remigino-Knapp said that she got a call from a CIAC official Monday morning, informing her that Bridgeport Central had self-reported that they had used an ineligible player in Saturday’s game against Hall. Bridgeport Central won the contest 1-0, but now the game will count as a forfeit and Hall has been declared the winner.

Seguro was heading to Hall and still trying to figure out how to get the team ready.

“We’re very pleased to have this opportunity, but we’re all in shock,” he said.

“It’s an emotional roller coaster,” Seguro said. We were in the locker room [after Saturday’s loss] for probably 45 minutes before we went home,” he said. “There were a lot of tears because we love playing together and weren’t ready for the season to end.”

Remigino-Knapp said that it’s customary for athletic directors to self-report violations like use of an ineligible player. She didn’t know who it was, what the circumstances were, or if the ineligible player had been used only in the Hall game, and said that information probably would not be disclosed. “It could be any number of things,” Remigino-Knapp said.

According to CIAC bylaws, “when it is discovered that a team has used an ineligible competitor in a CIAC team tournament, the tournament game/match shall be forfeited. The team using the ineligible player will be disqualified from the tournament and that team’s last opponent will advance in its place. Teams eliminated prior to the last opponent will not be permitted to re-enter the tournament.”

Seguro said he was speechless but grateful for the opportunity to play another game. “We’ve always tried to do the right thing. [Using an ineligible player] is something we’d never do.”

Hall played Glastonbury twice during the regular season. Hall lost the first game 2-1 at Glastonbury on Sept. 18,  but won their home game 2-1 on Oct. 8. East Hartford was the only other team to defeat Glastonbury during the regular season.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford!