- On the final play of a CIF Central Section semi-final game between the Shafter High Generals and Matilda Torres Toros, a Torres player caught the final pass that would seal a two-point conversion and give the Toros the victory and a berth to the Central Section's Division Four championship game. The player that caught the game-sealing pass was the long snapper for the Toros and an ineligible to be a receiver. The penalty for an ineligible receiver catching a ball is called illegal touching and results in a loss of down.
- Following the play, referees left the field before realizing the play should have been overturned and the Generals should have won. CIF Central Section officials and administrator from both schools and school district met to determine how to proceed. Ultimately, CIFCS opted to not overturn the call standing by the call made on the field.
Shafter High School football coach Jerald Pierucci tells 23ABC, he hurts for his players to see their season come to an end. He also noted that human error is part of the game, but he is still disappointed in the referees' lack of a decision and the CIFCS' decision to stand by the call made on the field.
(Editor's note: Previous versions of this report incorrectly categorized Shafter and Matilda Torres High as CIF Central Section Division Five schools. This error has been corrected.)
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The snap is high, the holder goes up, grabs it, starts scrambling around and he throws it to somebody in the end zone uncovered and the game is over," said Shafter High School footballl coach, Jerald Pierucci. "And then we come to find out that that was actually the snapper.”
Shafter High school head football coach Jerald Pierucci said amidst the commotion surrounding the play, his defensive line coach noticed the penalty that would have ended the game in favor of the Generals and it wasn’t until after the game that the referee’s noticed the error.
“They walked off the field. It was — they actually got off the field right outside the gates and then they actually got together and huddled up, which that's probably one of the things I wish if that — if looking back on everything else, I just wish if they would have just huddled and addressed the situation to make sure that was right.”
Over the weekend, California Interscholastic Federation Central Section officials and administrators from both schools met to determine how to proceed forward.
Stan Greene, who oversees athletics for the Kern High School District was in the meeting and said he recalls asking officials from Matilda Torres High School for their perception of the end of the game.
“I asked him, you know, 'How do you guys feel?' You know, 'What's your position?' and their district [athletic director] stepped in and said, 'Hey, you know, the official called the game and didn't catch it,' and, you know, his position was we're all beneficiaries and losers sometimes of those calls and it just kind of is what it is."
After the meeting, in a statement to 23ABC, CIF Central Section officials said, “After reviewing the information presented and speaking with all the parties involved, the result of Friday’s game between Matilda Torres High School and Shafter High School stands as was called on the field.”
“The CIF have talked about opening Pandora's box with the ability to do things like, you know, once we do this, how, you know, everybody's going to protest and stuff like that. Well, to me, if opening Pandora's box means doing the right thing, then Pandora's box should be opened and so — that's what governing bodies are supposed to do.”
Now, Pierrucci said that obviously the situation is devastating, but he did mention that he was proud not just of his players, but of his coaching staff and the administration here at Shafter High School for how they fought to help try and get the season back for his players.
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