The FHSAA declares Jesse Rodriguez ineligible because of an insufficient grade point average.
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published February 7, 2004
OLDSMAR - Three weeks ago, Oldsmar Christian's first victory over a public school seemed historic.
Today, it's history.
The Florida High School Athletic Association stripped the Eagles of all 18 victories in which forward Jesse Rodriguez played, including over Northeast, in which he earned an MVP plaque, ruling the transfer from Alonso was ineligible.
FHSAA commissioner Dan Boyd said because Rodriguez's grade point average when he transferred was below 2.0, the minimum for a student to be eligible, Oldsmar Christian violated state rules by playing him.
Averaging 24 points and 10 rebounds, Rodriguez is the second top player lost to Oldsmar Christian, just one month ago considered a state title contender. He was counted on to lessen the loss of leading scorer Trevor Ferguson, who broke his wrists in a game.
Coach Larry Bache, who said he had no knowledge of the issue ("I've never looked at a grade in my life.") said Rodriguez's parents and the school have hired attorneys to appeal the decision.
"There is no appeal," Boyd said. "They don't understand the rules."
Bache said the board of directors at Oldsmar Christian deleted some of the grades Rodriguez received at Alonso because they said he had been advanced through school despite not passing certain classes. Deleting those grades and reconfiguring his grade point average made him eligible.
"We really feel he is eligible," athletic director Pam Brown said. "We added his grades up properly, and this year, the boy has made the honor roll. The public school did not give the boy a chance."
But those Alonso grades count toward Rodriguez's eligibility, and Boyd said making the honor roll at Oldsmar wasn't enough to make him eligible.
"When you accept a student as a transfer, you accept the grades the other school sent you," Boyd said. "You can't decide to delete what grades you want to."
Bache, an investment banker who took over as coach when Gary Tait had to resign a week before the season, defended his school's action, though he said he originally had no knowledge of it.
"This had nothing to do with basketball," he said. "They wanted to get him on track to graduate."
Oldsmar Christian, which has won both games since losing Rodriguez, has canceled two games, Thursday against Florida Prep and next week against Admiral Farragut, believing it couldn't give the opposition a good game, according to assistant Ryan Pannone. In addition to losing Ferguson and Rodriguez, a third starter, Nate Miller, recently was expelled from school.
The FHSAA still is investigating another player's eligibility as well as how some players' tuitions were paid.
Boyd has granted the school's request for an extra week to gather the financial records.
