BREAKING: Men’s soccer team placed on probation

By Kellen Browning,
Bluedevilhub.com Editor–

A press statement from the district released Thursday, Dec. 4, announced that the Davis High men’s varsity soccer team will be placed on probation for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year. This decision was made by the Sac-Joaquin Section branch of the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation), the governing body of high school sports in California.

Following an incident at the section championship game on Nov. 15 at Oak Ridge High that resulted in the suspension of seven DHS players who confronted a referee after a play, the CIF determined that “while the team will continue to play as scheduled, any infractions, violations or misconduct of CIF rules and regulations that occur during [next year’s season], could incur the team further sanctions,” according to the press statement.

“All that basically means,” Athletic Director Jeff Lorenson told The Hub, “is that any behavior outside of what’s expected in regards to aggressive nature, unsportsmanlike conduct, things like that, could lead to further sanctions such as denial of participation, school fines.”

While the status of the team is public knowledge, “Individual student disciplinary decisions made by the administration remain confidential,” the statement said.

Some students, like junior Francis Avoce–one of the suspended players–believe the punishments the soccer players received from DHS were too severe.

“Being suspended from school is not a proportional punishment for the wrong I’ve committed,” Avoce said in an earlier interview with The Hub.

Lorenson, however, said in the press statement that “The recent CIF sanctions and the decisions made by the high school administration are clear, appropriate and aligned.”

“Just like any athletes should, we’re gonna own up to our actions, learn from it and ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Lorenson said.