(Stars and Stripes)
Guam High’s football team will not be playing in the island playoffs after all.
According to the Interscholastic Sports Association bylaws, the Panthers are disqualified from the postseason because they forfeited two games during the regular season – including one caused by the government shutdown.
That puts John F. Kennedy (2-4) in the playoffs despite finishing behind the Panthers (3-3 with only one loss on the field this season) in the final regular-season standings. Guam High just defeated JFK 40-0 on Friday.
The Islanders play Friday at first-place George Washington and Southern faces Father Duenas Memorial on Saturday at GW.
Predictably, Guam High’s coaching staff reacted with anger and disappointment at the decision.
“The kids from Guam High did absolutely nothing wrong and have earned the right to play this weekend,” Panthers longtime assistant coach Greg Jacobs said.
“I feel for these kids because they’ve been through so much in this already shortened season and now, they have to deal with their season ending abruptly,” Jacobs said.
The Panthers could not play Oct. 4 against Simon Sanchez because of the government shutdown, which shelved all extracurricular activities for a week. The Pentagon later directed DODEA to resume funding for after-school activities.
Attempts to reschedule the missed game were not successful, league officials said.
Guam High also forfeited a Sept. 12 game against GW because its gear arrived late and players didn’t meet mandatory practice time before opening the season.
“Things like this are a good example why Guam High should be allowed to play the teams in (DODEA-Pacific) instead of playing in the local league,” Jacobs said.
George Washington coach Ryan Rios, whose team went undefeated this season and stopped Father Duenas’ 85-game winning streak in the process, said he understands’ Jacobs’ feelings.
“I believe every student should get a chance to participate in a playoff format,” Rios said Tuesday. “What happened to (Guam High) is a shame because I know some of those kids. But I’ve seen in the past other schools get penalized for forfeits.”
ISA League Director Marvin L. Linder wrote in an email dated Tuesday said that the ISA Constitution “specifically states two forfeits in a season makes the team ineligible for the playoffs.”
He directed further inquiries to Guam High’s administration.
In a letter addressed to Guam High football families on Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by Stars and Stripes, Guam High principal Katrina Watts announced that the Panthers will host Humphreys of South Korea on Nov. 1 to finish the season.
The letter said the game would be called the “DODEA Pacific West Inafa’maolek game,” inafa’maolek being a Chamoru word for “to make good.”
“I recognize this is a disappointing outcome for our student-athletes, who have dedicated much time and effort this season,” Watts said in the letter.
Humphreys had been set to end its season Oct. 25 in the DODEA-Pacific Division I championship game against Kubasaki.
Shifting Guam football into a regular DODEA season next season or beyond would involve a large hit to the DODEA-Pacific’s sport budget. Plane flights to and from Guam are much more expensive than travel between Japan, Okinawa and South Korea.
Guam High was not the only DODEA-Pacific high school athletics entity impacted by the government shutdown.
Volleyball teams were unable to play in both the 11th American School In Japan YUJO or Western Japan Athletic Association tournaments, though Kubasaki and Kadena players formed self-funded clubs to do so. Four homecoming football games were canceled in the week that DODEA-Pacific teams were sidelined.
