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CHESHIRE – The Branford boys hockey team, which qualified during the regular season for the CIAC Division II tournament with a 6-12 record, has been disqualified from the tournament by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which regulates high school sports in the state.
The CIAC met Saturday morning for its boys’ hockey pairings meeting to determine seedings, matchups, game times and sites for Division I, II and II. During the meeting, as usual the officials also discussed the possibility of teams being disqualified due to various types of infractions. The only team disqualified was Branford .
“Branford was on probation this season for what carried over from last season (too many major penalties),” CIAC boys’ hockey chairman Tom Neagle said. “CIAC’s Rule 13 states that if a team accrues four or more non-minor penalties (majors or misconducts) during the season while it is on probation, then that team is disqualified from the state tournament.
“Unfortunately Branford had four of those non-minor penalties and has been disqualified.”
Branford went 4-2 in its last six regular season games to finish 8-12. Teams need a minimum of a 40 percent winning percentage to qualify for the state tournament. At 8-12 the Hornets were right at 40 percent.
“We had known we could not get what the CIAC considered four major penalties this year after receiving four last year,” Branford coach Adolph Brink said. “Myself, our athletic director and school principal appealed the ruling in person this (Saturday) morning (at CIAC headquarters). We appealed one of the considered major penalties to the ruling members of the CIAC hockey committee. Our appeal was rejected.
“As one would expect we are disappointed for the Branford hockey Program.”
In other news, there were rumors going around Connecticut rinks the past week that the St. Bernard-Bacon Academy-NFA coop team had an ineligible player and would have to forfeit most of its wins this season. That would have allowed teams like Lyman Hall and Milford to qualify for the D-II state tournament. Lyman Hall, 7-13, lost one game to the coop team and Milford, 6-13-1, lost twice to the coop team. With a St. Bernard-Bacon Academy-NFA forfeiture the Trojans would have moved to 8-12 and Milford would be at 8-11-1 allowing them to compete in the tournament.
“We heard the rumors about St. Bernard and an ineligible player, but we learned that’s all they were, just rumors,” Neagle said. “St. Bernard is fine.”
For the first time the CIAC is offering online advanced ticket sales for the semifinals and finals of the boys’ hockey tournament (all divisions). The tickets are only $8 each, $2 cheaper than they would be at the door. If you want to buy tickets in advance you need to go to ciacsports.ticketleap.com.
“We’re starting to get some advanced ticket sales now and have about a handful,” CIAC spokesman Matt Fischer said. “We’ll allow the advanced sales to take place up to an hour before game time for the semis and finals.
“The advantage is the advance tickets are cheaper and when you come to the rink you don’t have to wait in line to buy your tickets.”