St. Petersburg Catholic reinstated
The Florida High School Athletic Association board of directors voted unanimously to end St. Petersburg Catholic's postseason ban in football and allow the Barons to compete for a playoff spot this season.
"It's a tremendous feeling," SPC coach Tod Creneti said. "The board had a lot of encouraging things to say. That let us know we're moving in the right direction."
In 2006, the FHSAA fined SPC $13,000 and banned the football program from the playoffs for three seasons for recruiting violations and illegal practices. Then coach Dan Mancuso resigned and eventaully was replaced by Creneti. Barons athletic director Anne Marie Mancuso also left and was replaced by John Gerdes.
SPC already had served two years of the three-year ban. They tried to appeal last year but were turned down by a 7-6 vote.
"We knew this was in the boards hands," Gerdes said. "We trusted they would make the right decision. Fortunately, it came out on our behalf."
-- BOB PUTNAM
The St. Petersburg Times High School Sports blog is written and compiled by the Times preps sports staff from Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. We invite your participation in the comments area.
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Posted by: | June 16, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Exactly, those of you who think recruiting has to do with religion, read the article about Armwood. Seems that recruiting is a big issue in Hillsborough too. Besides most of the time it is the parent who wants their child to play at a high profile school that cause the issues. Are we going to school to get an education or to play.
Posted by: | June 16, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Have any of you bothered to read the "Comment Policy," i.e. nothing abusive, religiously offensive? This story has nothing to do with being Catholic. It has do do with being caught violating FHSAA rules, cleaning house and being reinstated.
Posted by: TampaChessDon | June 16, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Get your money ready for girls basketball. This will cause the death penalty. Watch OUT.
Posted by: | June 13, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Now Bellamy can come back and graduate without having to pass the FCAT.
Posted by: | June 12, 2008 at 05:36 PM
lou the father is leaving. reason #1 for them getting back in the playoffs.
Posted by: | June 12, 2008 at 05:17 PM
Hopefully, future and present coaches will keep SPC's nose clean so that the school can get back on track and be a contender in all sports legally. Hopefully the new administration will curb some of the transfers that are still making their way in, or the economy may have curbed that activity, by hitting the pockets of some of its more generous contributors.
Posted by: | June 12, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Compared to Bradenton Prep, SPC did very little illegal, and since they cleaned house, this was probably appropriate
Posted by: | June 12, 2008 at 03:05 PM