Danbury Disqualified From State Tournament Finals
For the 2nd time in 2 years, the state “LL” (extra large schools) tournament has been rocked by a disqualification.
Last year, Central was forced out for using an ineligible player: a freshman who played for an outside team during the regular season. The disqualification allowed Hall — the team that edged Staples on penalty kicks in round one, then lost its next match — to return to action. Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference rules say that in the event of a disqualification, that team’s most recent opponent advances in its place.
This year, Danbury is disqualified. Sources say the Hatters added a player for the state tourney who had previously been academically ineligible. Though coaches and administrators believed he had become eligible, a subsequent investigation proved otherwise.
The result: Shelton — who lost 4-2 to the Hatters in the LL semifinal — now plays Farmington in the championship. After edging Staples 1-0 in the quarterfinal, the Indians shut out Fairfield Prep 3-0 in the semis.
The Farmington-Shelton finals are set for tomorrow (Saturday, November 19), 2 p.m. at Willow Brook Park in New Britain. In class “L,” Joel Barlow — who Staples scrimmaged a few days before the state tournament — faces Daniel Hand in the final (Saturday, 11 a.m., Middletown High School).
