City Section Rules Out Title for Kennedy

Even if Bell High is forced to forfeit its City Section soccer title, Kennedy will not be awarded the championship, according to Hal Harkness, the section’s commissioner.

Bell defeated Kennedy, 1-0, in the City final Feb. 24, but officials at Bell are investigating charges that team members competed on a club team during the season in violation of state rules. The rule allows players to participate on a high school team or club team during the high school season, but not both.

If Bell players are found to have violated the rule, the title will be vacated, Harkness said.

Bell lost to Monroe in the semifinals, 2-1, but Monroe was disqualified from the final because it broke the same rule.

Harkness said a poll of City coaches he conducted last spring shows that 91% endorse the rule.

However, the Central Coast Section of the CIF is proposing the rule be rescinded for all sports.