La Cueva forfeits football game for using ineligible player

“It’s something I’m profusely embarrassed about,” Back said. “It was my fault as AD.”

The player in question is a transfer who could only play at the sub-varsity level this year. He can continue to play football, just not with the La Cueva varsity. The ineligibility of the athlete is not academics-related.

The error, Back said, was discovered last week.

La Cueva’s record falls to 0-2 as a result of the forfeit. The game officially goes down as a 1-0 victory for the Rams, whose record now improves to 2-0.

La Cueva’s next game is Saturday afternoon at Centennial. The Bears are ranked No. 2 in Class 6A, the Hawks No. 4.

Because the error was caught early in the season, Back said, the Bears ought to have plenty of time to adjust.

“It’s not going to have much of an impact on us,” Back said. “It’s something we have to address and overcome.”

Rio Rancho coach Nate Pino said he discovered the mistake when his district athletic director emailed him the information on Monday.

GAME POSTPONED: McCurdy’s football team was scheduled to play at Tucumcari on Friday night, but that game will not be played following the death last weekend of a Rattlers freshman football player who was part of the varsity roster.

The game will not be rescheduled, Tucumcari athletic director Wayne Ferguson said.

“They’re not in any mindset to get on a football field this week,” Ferguson said.