The Louisiana High School Athletic Association has brought the hammer down on McKinley High to the tune of a 41,968 dollar fine, a two year postseason ban in all sports, and the forfeiture of their division one runner up finishes in softball for 2017 and 2018 for eligibility issues and paperwork problems found throughout the school program. Additional game forfeitures will also be put in place.
Eligibility issues were found with the softball team initially, which spurred further looks into McKinley’s papers. Eight players were discovered to be ineligable or not properly registered with the LHSAA before a game against Mount Carmel in the semifinals.
The school has been banned from the postseason for the 2018-2019 season, and the 2019-2020 season as a result.
The ruling acknowledged a series of unnamed faculty and non-faculty coaches are also suspended from coaching in the LHSAA 2018 2019 school year.
An LHSAA memo filled in some of the gaps, but was the only information to be released, as they weren’t taking further questions on the subject.
In world cup news, a shocking upset for England as the Lions fall 2-1 to underdog Croatia whose world class midfield has propelled the small country now into the finals of soccer’s most prestigious event. After a fifth minute goal from the English, the Croatian defense locked down the prodigious golden boot leader Englishman Harry Kane, who up until now had dominated the tournament. The Croatians took over, grabbing a 68th minute goal, and a dramatic overtime game clenching winner from Mario Manzukic in the 109th minute that propelled Croatia to their first ever world cup final.
And in less of a barnburner, France defeated tournament darling Belgium 1 nil on the back of a stifling defense that has led Les Blues to the final. France kept just 36 percent of possession in the game, and despite seeing it’s prolific attack pepper the beglians all game, grabbed the winning goal from defender Samuel Umtiti.
The world cup final kicks off Sunday at 10AM.