Holy Cross forfeited its CIAC Class S first-round boys soccer match against Lyman Memorial after a suspended player was found sitting on the bench during Saturday’s game in Waterbury. The forfeiture was confirmed by the CIAC in a Monday release.
The player had received two yellow cards in a Northern Valley League quarterfinal loss, which triggered a suspension that required him to miss the next game. Holy Cross athletic director Mike Giampetruzzi said he was unaware the suspension barred the player from even being present on the bench.
“I knew the suspension was intact for the next game. I didn’t realize he had to not be on the bench,” Giampetruzzi said. “He was nowhere in uniform, he was not part of warmups. He sat on the bench. It was my mistake as the administrator and unfortunately, we lost the game because of that mistake.”
CIAC rules explicitly state that any ejected coach or player cannot attend the game during their suspension. Appendix E in the boys soccer information packet, referenced by the CIAC, emphasizes this point in bold.
The match between Holy Cross, seeded 13th, and 20th-seeded Lyman Memorial went beyond regulation ties, proceeding to penalty kicks. The shootout initially reached a deadlock after five kicks each in the first set. Holy Cross missed its first attempt of the second set, and Lyman Memorial converted their kick. However, officials incorrectly declared Lyman Memorial the winner, using a sudden-death format instead of continuing up to five kicks per team in the second set as prescribed.
Giampetruzzi described a tense exchange after the shootout. “It wasn’t a great exchange between my coach and the assistant ref,” he said, adding that all officials left the field immediately after the decision.
The confusion left both teams unsettled. Lyman Memorial’s athletic director, Brandon Strout, told The Day on Sunday that his coaches asked officials whether the shootout had to continue. Officials told them it was over. “At no point did anybody protest. They shook hands. (The players) found out on the way back home 20 minutes later. An emotional rollercoaster, some kid was just a hero and feeling great. We were the underdogs. To have that emotional, good feeling taken away is pretty tough for the kids. I feel bad for the kids,” Strout said.
The CIAC distinguished the situation from a typical in-game dispute by clarifying that the issue involved failing to follow the tournament procedure rather than an official’s interpretation or application of a playing rule.
On Sunday, the CIAC instructed both teams to resume the shootout at 3:30 p.m. Monday at a neutral site in Middletown’s Vale Forge, sparing Lyman Memorial a return trip to Waterbury from Lebanon.
The forfeit rendered the continuation unnecessary, allowing Lyman Memorial to advance without completing the shootout. They will face fourth-seeded Stonington on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Giampetruzzi took responsibility for the error that led to the forfeit. “There was a lot wrong with the whole game. Unfortunately, Lyman Memorial is moving on because of my mistake,” he said.
The incident has left lingering frustration over the handling of the shootout and the suspension enforcement. Strout had not responded to requests for comment from CT Insider as of Monday.
The CIAC’s ruling underlines the strict enforcement of attendance restrictions during suspensions and the importance of following tournament procedures precisely in postseason play.
According to Yahoo Sports.