Middletown football ousted from title run by use of ineligible player
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A historic football season for Middletown High School has likely come to an end after the team was disqualified for using an ineligible player.
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As a result, top-seeded Middletown, ranked No. 12 in the latest state poll, had to forfeit its 48-15 victory over Valley Central in last Friday's Section 9 Class AA semifinals, and concludes the season at 9-1.
Instead of Middletown, Valley Central will face No. 2 seed Newburgh Free Academy in Saturday's 7 p.m. championship game, at Monroe-Woodbury High School.
According to a school-released statement by athletic director Justin Sturge and school superintendent Amy Creeden, the disqualification is the result of "an unintentional adult error in understanding the rules.'' The school appealed the decision with Section 9 leadership and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and both were denied. The district planned a third appeal to the New York State Department of Education.
The statement, in part, read: "Yesterday, a question was raised regarding whether one of our varsity football players met postseason eligibility requirements. Because state eligibility rules are complex, our administration worked through the evening with Section IX officials to review the regulations. Once we confirmed that the player had not met the minimum regular-season contest requirement due to an unintentional adult error in understanding the rules, our first step was to request a waiver from Section IX.
"Section IX denied our waiver request. First thing this (Monday) morning, we submitted a second appeal directly to the NYSPHSAA Executive Director. At approximately 11:30 a.m., we were notified that this state appeal was also denied. As a result, our team is currently barred from advancing to the Section IX championship game on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
"We want to be very clear: this was an error made by adults, not our scholars. Not one student-athlete did anything wrong. Every football and cheer athlete on this team earned this season through hard work, heart, and pride, and nothing about this decision changes that.
"Because we have not exhausted all administrative appeals within Section IX and NYSPHSAA, the district is actively working with legal counsel to pursue further legal recourse on our team's behalf. This is a fluid situation. We want to be honest that the chances are limited, but our young people deserve every effort we can make for them.''
The district said Sturge, assistant AD Beth Fletcher, former AD David Coates and executive principal William Donohue met with many of the football athletes at 1 p.m., ahead of another 2:30 p.m. meeting and a 6 p.m. virtual meeting for families of the players.
The statement concluded: "We are so proud of this team, and we are sorry they are carrying this weight. We will get through this together.''
This is the second time during coach Tim Strenfel's tenure that started in 2017 that Middletown has been forced to forfeit games. In 2019, a pair of September wins against Pine Bush and Monroe-Woodbury were later reversed, leaving the Bears at 3-3 in league play and out of the postseason.
Posting a 10-0 mark during the regular season, the Bears were hopeful of making a strong playoff run. They bowed to Newburgh in the 2022 sectional final; beat Newburgh in the 2023 final and lost to Christian Brothers in the state quarterfinals; lost to Monroe-Woodbury in the 2024 sectional final; and lost to Monroe in the 2025 final only to lose to Saratoga Springs in state as an at-large entry.
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This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Middletown football ousted from title run by use of ineligible player