SOCCER Canfield penalty has six sidelined

The varsity players are being punished for chemical abuse violations.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
CANFIELD -- One-third of the Canfield High varsity boys soccer team has been suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the school's chemical abuse policy for athletes.
The six suspensions covering two sports are one of the largest school penalties ever assessed to a Mahoning Valley team.
Lee Frey, Canfield's athletic director and last year's soccer coach, said the policy requires first-time offenders to sit out 20 percent of a season.
Could be longer: Frey said it's possible for the punishments to be longer if the coach wants it and the administration agrees.
The 18-member Canfield soccer team opens its 16-game season Saturday at home against Boardman. The other games the three seniors and three juniors will sit out are Aug. 30 at Hubbard and Sept. 1 at Northwest.
Phil Simone, who makes his debut as Canfield boys soccer coach Saturday, said he "probably will bring up" junior varsity players for the three games his team will be shorthanded.
No comment: Simone declined to comment on how the suspensions are affecting his team and if he would push for a more severe penalty.
One of the soccer players also is on the Canfield High varsity football team and has been suspended for two football games -- Friday's opener against Washington, D.C., Ballou and the Aug. 31 game against Chaney.
Mike Pavlansky, who makes his debut as Canfield's varsity football coach Friday, declined to comment on how the suspension is affecting his team.
According to Canfield's policy, if any of the six are caught violating the policy again within a year of the first offense, that player would be suspended from all games for the rest of the calendar year that began on the date of the first offense.
Rule: The policy, which is signed by all Canfield athletes, says violations occur when players: possess, use, sell, offer to sell, deliver, conceal, consume or be under the influence of any drugs of abuse including alcoholic beverages, or willingly attend and remain at activities where illegal consumption of alcohol or other drugs is taking place.
Earlier this month, the six were cited by Canfield police at a party at a city residence.
One athlete was cited for providing alcohol for underage consumption and has pleaded innocent in Canfield Mayor's Court. His next court date is Monday.
The other five were cited to Mahoning County Juvenile Court for underage consumption. Their cases are pending.
Police say the five underage teens were given breath tests and the blood-alcohol levels ranged from 0.040 to 0.131.