Sidney Lanier will miss the AHSAA postseason after self-reporting violations

Montgomery, AL – The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) reported late Friday that the Sidney Lanier Poets will be ineligible for the post season.

Sidney Lanier self-reported to the association that its football team played an ineligible player, in multiple games, in violation of the AHSAA Academic Rule.

The ineligible student athlete participated in all seven of the Poets Class 6A, Region 2 contests this season, including six games won by the team.  As a result, Sidney Lanier will be fined and will forfeit all games won that the ineligible player participated in.

Those games include victories over non-region opponent Jeff Davis and Region 2 opponents Robert E. Lee, Valley, Park Crossing, Russell County and Carver-Montgomery.  Sidney Lanier’s season officially comes to a close at 2-8, 0-7 in Class 6A, Region 2 play.

The four qualifiers for the AHSAA Class 6A State Playoffs from Region 2 are now: Opelika (No. 1); Robert E. Lee (No. 2); Carver-Montgomery (No. 3); and Eufaula (No. 4).

The Poets are now the third AHSAA program to miss the postseason due to forfeits.  Class 2A programs Leroy and St. Luke’s had wins wiped off the board due to violations earlier this week.  The Anniston Bulldogs also had to forfeit wins but remained playoff eligible.