What started as a celebratory graduation photo ended with Ipswich High School's boys lacrosse team losing its Division 4 state semifinal without ever stepping on the field.
The Tigers forfeited Tuesday's semifinal after several recently graduated players were ruled ineligible following a post-graduation photo that appeared to show seniors holding cigars. With a roster suddenly too thin to compete, Ipswich did not travel to Scituate to face Cohasset, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) recorded the result as a forfeit.
Parents say the cigars were props
Parents of some of the players insist the cigars in the photo were nothing more than props, and say they brought evidence to school officials to back that up. John Gianakakis, whose son appears in the photo, told CBS Boston he rolled makeshift, sealed “fake” cigars after consulting a local shop, then brought one of them to Principal Jonathan Mitchell as proof.
According to Gianakakis and other parents, Mitchell allowed the players to practice with the team after seeing the prop. They say the superintendent's office then requested additional investigation, and by about 10 a.m. Tuesday the students were informed they would not be allowed to play in the semifinal.
School says team elected to forfeit
In a brief statement posted on the school's athletics page, Ipswich officials said the team and coaching staff "decided that due to the shortage of available players that it was in the best interest of the team to forfeit the game." The statement did not spell out details of the eligibility issue.
As reported by The Boston Globe, the alleged violation surfaced the weekend after graduation and centered on the cigars that appeared in the now-disputed photograph.
What the MIAA chemical-health rule requires
The MIAA's chemical-health standard prohibits student-athletes from using, possessing or distributing alcohol, tobacco (including e-cigarettes) and other controlled substances from the first allowable practice date through the end of the school year.
According to the MIAA Handbook, a confirmed first violation carries a minimum penalty of ineligibility for roughly 25% of that sport's contests. The Board also has authority to censure a program, place it on probation or suspend a school or team.
MIAA says Ipswich notified the association
The association was informed of Ipswich's decision not to play the semifinal, and Cohasset advanced to the state final on a forfeit, according to an MIAA release cited in regional coverage. That confirmation, along with reporting that the forfeit was tied to an alleged chemical-health issue, appeared in local rundowns of the tournament schedule and bracket.
As reported by The Patriot Ledger via Yahoo, the MIAA said it had been notified by Ipswich that the school was forfeiting the game.
How the decision unfolded at the site
On game day, what should have been a routine bus ride turned into a scramble. WBZ reporters and parents described a chaotic scene in which players began boarding a bus for the scheduled trip, only to file back off after learning the game was canceled.
Several members of the school committee reportedly urged administrators to find a way to let the seniors take the field. CBS Boston reported that station crews went to the superintendent's office seeking comment and that the district had posted its short athletics statement online.
What comes next
Parents say they have turned over receipts and the makeshift cigar as evidence, and they are openly challenging what they see as a disproportionate penalty that ended a playoff run. For now, the district and the MIAA appear set to rely on established procedures for sorting out eligibility questions and any individual consequences.
The MIAA handbook lays out due-process steps, appeal options and the range of possible sanctions for schools and athletes, so any formal discipline or appeals stemming from the incident would move through those existing channels.
