El Cerrito anticipates NCS football playoff ban; district calls it ‘best-case scenario’

El Cerrito’s tumultuous football season is expected to end sooner than the Gauchos anticipated. 

In a letter on Monday from the West Contra Costa Unified School District obtained by the Bay Area News Group, football families were notified that El Cerrito will likely be banned from the North Coast Section playoffs that begin next week.

Last month, El Cerrito forfeited five victories because it used ineligible players in its first six games. That news came weeks after this news organization reported that coach Jacob Rincon was placed on administrative leave. 

But even with a sub-.500 overall record as a result of the vacated wins, the team was still expected to make the playoffs in the section’s top division, one that will include the likes of De La Salle, Pittsburg and San Ramon Valley.

Now, it appears El Cerrito’s season will end on Friday against De Anza.

In the letter to football families, the district wrote, “As previously communicated, we initiated a self-reporting process and are cooperating fully with NCS staff to ensure compliance with CIF regulations during the ongoing investigation into student-athlete eligibility. In light of this, we expect that NCS will begin imposing sanctions on ECHS in the coming days. One of these sanctions will prohibit the ECHS football team from participating in the 2024 CIF/NCS Playoffs.”

The letter described the postseason ban as a “best-case scenario” and noted that the investigation is ongoing.

“The NCS Commissioner or Eligibility Committee may impose several sanctions in the future,” the letter added. “However, we believe that our cooperation has likely helped us avoid potential penalties for the ECHS football program and other athletic programs.”

A text message sent to NCS commissioner Pat Cruickshank late Monday night was not immediately returned.

Tim Johnson, El Cerrito’s acting head coach, said his team was stunned by the latest development.

“Our student athletes use football as a source where dreams and goals are reached,” Johnson told the Bay Area News Group in a text. “Without football, we’re putting these players in a mental state that could effectively cause more harm than good, and could have long lasting impressions on their lives. … We’re letting adults dictate the lives of our players that most of them have no relationship with them, which I feel is unjust.”

Johnson added that his seniors were playing for school history. The Gauchos were seeking their third consecutive NCS championship, all in different divisions.

“Now they’ve been robbed of the opportunity to compete, which is disheartening,” Johnson added.