Maine South High School, one of the premier football programs in our state, has been dealt a harsh punishment due to multiple violations of residency laws. The Illinois High School Association has decided that the school should forfeit nine of its victories during the 2022 season and will be placed on probation for the 2023-24 school year. It stands as an example by setting a limit around student athletes transferring schools for athletic purposes, since the number of players who had illegally transferred continues to climb. It goes to show that there must still be some measures of accountability left in high school sports—no matter how far removed from amateur distinctions they may have become. Unfortunately, Maine South should now prepare to face these punitive measures as they strive to remain one of Illinois’ top high school football teams in future years.
The news surrounding Maine South High School’s football team is shocking. Despite clear regulations prohibiting players from outside of the district participating on the team, District 207 and Maine South High School personnel have had to investigate reports that this happened during the 2022 season. As a result of their internal investigation, they have initiated self-reporting for violations of the IHSA residence by-laws. This must be seen as an opportunity to learn and make sure that strict rules are adhered to going forward. It should serve as a reminder that fair play and sportsmanship are at the foundation of any sport.
In a shocking display of poor conduct, the Hawks football program has admitted to committing several NCAA violations. As a result, they have had no choice but to forfeit all their victories from the 2022 season against Barrington, Bolingbrook, Evanston, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, New Trier, Niles West, South Elgin and Stevenson. This reckless behavior will not be taken lightly by the IHSA who have placed Maine South’s football program on probation for the 2023-24 school year. Any further offenses after this time period may render them completely ineligible for the state football playoffs. Fingers crossed that no other teams will follow in their footsteps as this would be an incredibly difficult road to come back from.
It is very encouraging to see that Maine Township High School District 207 and Maine South High School personnel took allegations of code violations seriously and went to great lengths to investigate. Not only did they seek out the truth, but District 207 has already taken positive steps to prevent any similar problems from occurring in the future. This action is laudable as it shows serious commitment towards remedying a wrong and upholding fairness and justice in the school district. The investigatory process they put into effect was lacking in other areas, but this situation makes it clear that their approach was the correct one. Superintendent Anderson has also offered his assistance to ensure that these proactive steps are successful going forward, which further underscores their commitment towards making sure this kind of incident never happens again.
In 2011, the Maine South’s football program was put on probation after an incident that violated the IHSA’s rules. Head coach Dave Inserra and one assistant were suspended from the season opener due to counterfeit sideline passes at the state finals and for having too many coaches present. The program’s success is in part attributed to Inserra’s leadership—he has earned 230 wins through 22 seasons with four state championships—and a total of six titles overall. Despite his impressive accomplishments, Inserra declined to comment on the matter and simply referred inquiries to the district communications department.
Superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace has taken a stance of full support for the IHSA and their sanctions, alongside vowing to ensure that this violation never happens again. Through dedication from not only himself, but also Coach Inserra, every measure will be taken to eliminate this issue for good. As for those families attempting to illegally enroll students into District 207, strict consequences will be delivered–students are sure to face dis-enrollment and an associated fee caused by law must be paid in turn by the family of said student. By taking such drastic actions, it’s clear that the authorities mean business regarding crucial enrolement laws.
