Miami Central High School (Miami, Fla.), a powerhouse with nine state championships, was ordered Monday by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) to forfeit all nine games of its current season after discovering it had fielded an ineligible player. This decision, first reported by the Palm Beach Post, drastically changes the Rockets’ season record from 8-1 to 0-9, severely impacting their chances to make the playoffs, with official brackets set to be released later this week.

The violation was self-reported by Miami Central, revealing that the player in question entered the ninth grade for the first time in the 2020-2021 school year, making him a fifth-year high school student. FHSAA Bylaw 9.5.1 mandates that students have a maximum of eight consecutive semesters of eligibility starting from their first semester in ninth grade. Exceeding this limit renders the student permanently ineligible for high school athletics.

Miami Central started the season ranked No. 15 in the MaxPreps Top 25, but dropped out following an opening-game loss to Lakeland and was ranked No. 27 before this ruling. They were also the top-seeded team in MaxPreps’ Class 3A computer rankings and had been positioned to lead in the regional playoffs.

This forfeiture adds to a string of recent FHSAA sanctions. Norland High School (Miami, Fla.) was also required to forfeit its October 27 win against American Heritage due to an ineligible player. More severe penalties hit The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) recently, which was ordered to forfeit all games, fined $36,000, and banned from postseason play for 2024 and 2025. The Academy’s punishment follows findings of eligibility violations, impermissible player benefits, and improper recruitment practices. The school has 10 days to appeal the FHSAA’s decision.