By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The Florida High School Athletic Association appeals committee Thursday reinstated the permanent eligibility of a St. Cloud High football player who transferred from Gateway High prior to the school year, Bulldog football coach Chad Ansbaugh said.

St. Cloud initially was forced to forfeit its first five games by the FHSAA, including two wins, because the player arrived at St. Cloud High in the same school year that a former Gateway High football coach joined the Bulldogs staff.

The FHSAA states that a player may not follow a coach to another school for a period of one year.

But, the appeals committee believed St. Cloud officials when they said that the player already transferred to St. Cloud before the Gateway coach arrived. St. Cloud officials said they were confused by the circumstances and did not believe that FHSAA policies were violated.

The player received a provisional waiver in October and played in the last four games.

Although the FHSAA found St. Cloud blameless, the forfeits from earlier in the season stand. St. Cloud’s record, prior to Friday’s game against Harmony, officially is 2-6 and 2-2 in 7A District 6.

St. Cloud was fined in October for a second violation for using the same player in a JV and a varsity game in the same week, causing coach Mike Short to resign.