This week on Off the Hive, let’s talk about the drama with the Boys Co-Op Hockey Team! We have forfeited 14 games after a player was found to be ineligible. Earlier this week, the mayor of East Haven Joe Carfora and state representative Joe Zullo wrote a letter to the CIAC addressing this situation and asking them to reconsider their decision. They shared that this isn’t the coaches’ and staff’s and especially, the players’ fault. The ineligible player was found to be unacceptable by the CIAC and the team, which is a Co-Op was forced to forfeit 14 of their 18 wins in this incredible season. The team was on track to hopefully win SCC’s. With them having to forfeit they are now completely out of SCC’s. This decision impacts the whole organization, but it affects the players the most, especially the seniors this year. They were having a fantastic senior season, almost undefeated. They wanted to end off their high school career and 4 years off as winners. In the letter Mayor Carfora and Representative Zullo shared, ”EH co-op was undeniably in the midst of a remarkable season, generating enthusiasm not only among it’s coaches and players but also resonating positively with the student bodies at East Haven, Old Lyme, Valley Regional, and Sheehan high schools, respectively.” This dramatically affected the whole time, in a situation that could’ve been prevented. It’s sad their record went from just 18-1, to shortly 4-15.  This was the seniors’ last year to play their best and to play to the best of their ability.