Although the Ignacio Bobcats handed Dolores a 31-0 defeat on Oct. 19, Ignacio Coach Alfonsoa "Ponch" Garcia and others thought it safest not to put an undermanned, underclassman-dominated roster on the field Oct. 26 against Centauri, and elected to forfeit the Bobcats' slated finale in advance. Dolores did the same done on Oct. 12.
"I apologize to everybody for that. That was my call," said Garcia, acknowledging the decision may not be popular. "I have 13 kids, they've got...I don't know how many, and I don't want to see my kids hurt to end the season."
"They've worked their asses off," he stressed, "and I want them to be healthy for the next sport they're going to play."
Centauri began Southern Peaks Conference work with a 55-19 rout of Center on Sept. 28, then mangled Monte Vista 45-8 - in Monte Vista on Oct. 5, before they were to welcome Dolores (which had already lost 52-0 to MVHS).
IHS' forfeit will boost the postseason-bound Falcons to 7-2 overall and a first-place 4-0 in conference. The Bobcats will finish 2018 standing 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the SoPeaks. The Bobcats' final placing will be determined by the Oct. 26 Center-at-Dolores contest.
Centauri is now ranked #4 in the CHSAANow.com 1A poll released Oct. 15. The Falcons lost a tense 12-7 non-conference clash at #10 Florence on Oct. 19.
