Indio cross-country denied qualification for CIF-SS postseason despite DVL titles due to bylaw
The Indio boys and girls cross-country teams have been denied qualification into the CIF-SS postseason despite being Desert Valley League champions.
CIF states in their yearly handbook that leagues must fill at least four full teams to be valid for automatic qualification into the postseason.
Visited Indio high school today to get reaction from their cross-country program who was denied qualification for @CIFSS due to a bylaw in the handbook. It's an unfortunate situation and harsh reality for the kids. @KESQ @IndioHS_Sports @IHSRajahs @Indio_Rajahs @KenjiitoKESQ pic.twitter.com/4efgfukMmT
— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) November 14, 2024
Indio competes in the Desert Valley League, which is a four team league consisting of Indio, Coachella Valley, Yucca Valley and 29 Palms. However, Yucca Valley and 29 Palms had incomplete teams this season.
Yucca Valley was unable to fill a boys and girls team, while 29 Palms was only able to field a boys team.
In cross-country, teams are required to have at least five athletes on the line to be considered complete.
Since the Trojans and Wildcats were unable to meet this requirement, this nullified Indio's league championship as it pertains to postseason qualification.
Indio cross-country coach Santiago Briones sent a letter to the CIF Southern Section office, pleading that his program be allowed in the postseason.
CIF-SS responded by citing Bylaw 3514. Their full reply to Briones is below.
Sports Director Blake Arthur reached out to the CIF-SS but has not received a call back.
Indio City Councilmember Waymond Fermon is advocating on behalf of Indio high school student-athletes. Fermon posted the following on Facebook.
"I am deeply disappointed that the Indio High School Boys and Girls Cross Country Team, who are the Desert Valley League champions, will not be allowed to participate in the CIF Southern Section postseason. This exclusion results from a bylaw stating that, without four qualifying teams in the DVL finals meet, the league champion, in this case, Indio will not be permitted to compete in the CIF Southern Section postseason prelims.
I don’t believe it’s fair to any school that qualifies for CIF preliminaries to face exclusion because other schools in their league can’t fill teams. We are going to ask CIF to reconsider this rule. While I’m unsure if any discussions occurred prior to this final meet, the schools should have been notified of this potential impact on postseason eligibility. This situation is especially disheartening given Indio High School’s long standing tradition of postseason success and the commitment shown by these student athletes.
I am particularly concerned about the implications for senior athletes who may miss out on critical scholarship opportunities due to this decision. Indio High has a strong record of sending cross country athletes to college, and this decision could jeopardize those well deserved futures.
Tomorrow, I will ask the city to send an emergency email of support for Indio High School, and I plan to reach out to our regional, state, and federal representatives to seek their support as well. If you would like to help, please consider making an emergency call to advocate for these students.
CIF Contact Information: Jerry De Fabiis
Assistant Commissioner
(562) 593-9500
jerryd@cifss.org
Let’s support these outstanding athletes and ensure they receive every opportunity they have earned.
The CIF-SS Prelims are scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 16 at Mt. San Antonio College.
Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for the latest on this developing story.
