HIDALGO, TX -- For the second time in a month, the Hidalgo football program was before the District 32-4A Executive Committee to answer for a UIL rules violation. The Pirates self-reported an ineligible player on their squad for the August 26th game at La Feria.
An Hidalgo senior was allowed to play even though he did not fill out the proper paperwork to enroll in classes.
District 32-4A officials met late Tuesday morning in Hidalgo, and ruled that Hidalgo must forfeit the game with the Lions.
The Pirates lost that game 36-17 but now the record will now show that they forfeited1-0, and the statistics will not be counted.
The forfeiture is the only punishment handed down by the DEC, and it is mandatory under UIL rules.
Just a month ago, Hidalgo head coach Robin Kirk reported himself to the DEC when he let his team practice in pads a day earlier than UIL regulations allow. The committee accepted the school's self-imposed punishment of a week's suspension for the coach along with loss of a preseason scrimmage.
Also, Hidalgo is still under a 2-year UIL probation for a basketball recruiting incident in 2009.
Acting committee chair and Weslaco East principal Sue Peterson said none of Hidalgo's previous transgressions were considered when devising the punishment for this case.
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