Montclair High School football team forfeits playoff game after "academically ineligible student" was allowed to play

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. -- There was plenty of high school football action in New Jersey on Friday, but one big playoff match-up between Montclair and Ridgewood was suddenly canceled after one team forfeited.

The Friday night lights were on at Ridgewood High School's football field, but the boys of fall, long gone.

"There was an announcement on the PA speaker this morning. Everybody was kind of, like, confused and shocked," a Montclair High School freshman named Leo said.

The visiting team from Montclair High, about 30 minutes to the southwest of Ridgewood, had to forfeit the game.

In a letter to parents and students Friday, Montclair's superintendent said in part, "An academically ineligible student was allowed to play for the football team this season due to an administrative oversight."

The school self-reported the situation to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which said, by rule, Montclair had to forfeit multiple wins this year and is therefore ineligible for the playoffs.

"It was tough," said Drew Pfeifer, starting quarterback for the Montclair Mounties.

CBS2's Nick Caloway found him playing lacrosse Friday night instead of football. He said the news was devastating.

"It was really sad, mostly for the seniors. I mean, we made the playoffs, we were going to make a great run, and it kind of just got cut short," he said.

Montclair schools officials say they are investigating why the oversight occurred, allowing the ineligible player to play.

"It was bad. It was, like, heartbreaking," said a sophomore football player named Junior.

Plenty of players and students thought the team got a raw deal.

"I just feel like they got robbed. Just for one person getting a bad grade, it's not really fair. But I guess rules are rules, so," said Agustin, a freshman at Montclair High School.

"I mean, I feel like we deserve to be in the playoffs and we deserve to have a chance to make a run," Drew said.

Back here in Ridgewood, because of that forfeit, the Maroons will automatically advance to the second round of the playoffs.