The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference has notified Fort Scott they will have to forfeit all of their 2019 football games due to the use of an ineligible player.

According to Fort Scott, a non-conference school had contacted the NJCAA in regards to the use of ineligible player, who remains unknown at this point, and on Oct. 15 the NJCAA told Fort Scott of the allegations.

Fort Scott had confirmed it had obtained the release and transfer tracking form of said student-athlete. However, they did not have the transfer waiver form, which resulted in the violation.

Fort Scott obtained the form on Oct. 18, making said player eligible for the remainder of the 2019 season.

Fort Scott appealed the initial ruling of forfeiture but was denied through the appeal process. The only sanctions issued is the forfeit of said games.

According to Fort Scott, coaches and the player had no knowledge of the missing document.

Before the forfeit, there were multiple ways teams could win the Jayhawk Conference. Prior to Fort Scott forfieting games there was a possiblity of a three-team tie for the conference.

The conference by-laws do not give tie-breaking scenarios, therefore, it just goes down as a three-way tie.

With the forfeiture of games, it is only a two-way tie at best. Independence is the most affected. They move to 7-1 in the Jayhawk conference, with a lone loss to Hutchinson.

Garden City, who’s only loss is to Independence, is 6-1 within the conference and play at Butler on Saturday.

Hutchinson and Butler had their chances at a three-way championship vanished with the forfeitures. Though Butler and Hutch beat Fort Scott, they were not given an automatic win. This forces their 5-2 conference records will hold firm. The best they can do is tied for second.

At best the Grizzlies will be playing spoilers and for a potential bowl game. If Butler wins, they’ll give the Independence Pirates the out right conference crown and will have bettered their bowl resume.