High School FootballTuesday, November 10
Middletown football is barred from the Section 9 title game over an ineligible player
The Daily Poughkeepsie team
If you follow Section 9 football, the Class AA final just changed. Top-seeded Middletown had to forfeit its 48-15 semifinal win over Valley Central for using an ineligible player. Valley Central now faces No. 2 seed Newburgh Free Academy at 7 p.m. Sat., Nov. 14, at Monroe-Woodbury High School.
9-1Middletown's final record after the forfeit
The Middies finished the regular season 9-0 for the first time since 1965.
Sources: Times Herald-Record, Mid Hudson News
- Appeals: Section 9 and the state association denied them
- Next step: a third appeal to the state Education Department
- Earlier meeting: Middletown beat Newburgh 33-22 this fall
- Last forfeits: 2019, also over an ineligible player
The district blamed "an unintentional adult error in understanding the rules" and said "not one student-athlete did anything wrong." Mayor Joe DeStefano and Assemblywoman Paula Elaine Kay urged state officials to let the team play. DeStefano wrote that, on the facts presented to him, the matter "had no impact on the outcome of the game."
Middletown's season ended in a forfeit before the final
- 1965Middletown last finished a regular season undefeated before this fall.
- Oct. 30Newburgh beats Valley Central 27-0.
- Nov. 6Middletown beats Valley Central 48-15 in the Class AA semifinals.
- Nov. 9The state association denies Middletown's appeal at about 11:30 a.m.
- Nov. 14Valley Central and Newburgh are scheduled to play for the Class AA title at 7 p.m.
Sources: Times Herald-Record, Mid Hudson News
Sources: Times Herald-Record, Mid Hudson News