Canfield out of OHSAA hockey tournament

Staff report

COLUMBUS

The Canfield hockey team has been removed from the Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament.

Canfield had self-reported a potential violation involving an ineligible player after its 6-4 victory over Twinsburg in a tournament opener Tuesday.

The ensuing investigation found that Canfield used an ineligible student-athlete in its victory, with the penalty being forfeiture and removal from the tournament.

The student-athlete was ineligible due to playing on a non-school team while competing for the school at the same time.

OHSAA Commissioner Dr. Dan Ross announced the penalty on Sunday.

Twinsburg has replaced Canfield on the bracket, with a second-round tournament game scheduled for today against Mayfield at the Kent State Ice Arena.

“As soon we became aware of the possibility that one of our student-athletes had been playing for a club team, we initiated an investigation concurrent with contacting the OHSAA, acknowledging that, if true, our hockey team might be removed from further playoff participation as a consequence,” said Canfield athletic director Greg Cooper.

Ross commended Canfield administrators, coaches and student-athletes in a statement on Sunday.

“It is never easy to remove a school from the tournament, but from the first phone call we received, Canfield has shown a tremendous about of integrity and honesty,” Ross said.

“We trust that this situation will not happen again there and we implore all our member schools to make sure their student-athletes are not playing or practicing for non-school teams while they are still members of their school team that season.”