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Top Westchester HS Football Team Forfeits Opening Day Victory

Despite outscoring its opponent 41-0 in the opening game of the season last week, the New Rochelle varsity football team still lost.

New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo.

New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo.

Photo Credit: File photo

The three-time defending Section 1 champions easily took care of business on the field against the recently formed Yonkers Brave on Saturday, Sept. 1, but were forced to forfeit the game due to an ineligible player.

In a statement posted on the football team’s Twitter page, New Rochelle football coach Lou DiRenzo said that the team was forced to forfeit the win because a particular player didn’t log enough practices before hitting the field and was therefore ineligible.

The Huguenots easily handled the Yonkers Brave - a team that was formed this summer - scoring five touchdowns in the first half before backing down and putting in replacement players in the second half, when the illegal player took the field.

“In our first game of the season, a player participated without the required number of practices by New York State to participate in gameplay,” he wrote. “This action will result in a forfeit of our (game one) victory. This was MY mistake.

“I would like to apologize to my players and their parents for MY error. I would like to clearly and emphatically state that it was not a ploy to gain an advantage. The score of the game was 35-0 when the illegal participant was sent into gameplay.” 

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