Vashon Stripped of 3 State Titles

[ElviswasaBluesFan]

per the fishwrap

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/0B47926C5A649EA9862574650054C73F?OpenDocument

[ElviswasaBluesFan]

Here's the story:

Vashon stripped of 3 state titles

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

06/11/2008

Vashon High School was formally stripped of three state basketball championships today for placing ineligible players on the court.

The school must surrender titles from 2001, 2004 and 2006. Those titles will go to the three runners-up in those years: Liberty, Kearney and Springfield Kickapoo.

Vashon must also forfeit five district championships and a 2005 second-place finish.

The action by the Missouri State High School Activities Association finalizes a 19-month investigation of the Vashon program and its legendary coach Floyd Irons.

In April, Vashon presented the state association with the results of its own internal investigation. At the time, officials said the school would likely lose at least three titles.

"I think everyone involved in the process is glad to put this behind them and move forward," said MSHSAA Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn, in a press statement released today.
This spring, St. Louis Public Schools representatives reported to the association that the school had used at least five ineligible players on championship basketball teams over five years.

The names of the five players have not been released publicly by the state association. But the Post-Dispatch has identified two as Johnny and Bobby Hill.

Irons was removed as coach of Vashon in 2006 after an audit found mismanagement of money in the basketball program.

But little came of long-standing recruiting rumors until September, when Irons pleaded guilty to federal charges of mail and wire fraud in a real estate scheme meant to kick back thousands of dollars to him and basketball booster Mike Noll, federal prosecutors said. Irons was sentenced in March to a year in prison.

As part of his plea agreement, Irons was required to tell the state association everything he knew about eligibility and recruiting violations at Vashon.

He met with association officials in November and admitted renting an apartment for the Hill brothers from 2002 through 2006. He brought them beds and a TV, food and clothing, and even asked a housekeeper to clean and cook some for the boys, according to a transcript of the meeting.

Today's meeting was closed to the public, with the state association citing privacy laws.

After the association's uninimous vote, officials praised Vashon officials for cooperating with the investigation

[cardinalgirl]

[InSighT]

domINation.

[ElviswasaBluesFan]

domINation.

I didn't see the other thread. Where is it?

[InSighT]

I didn't see the other thread. Where is it?

You bumped it to page 2 with this thread.

[ShortHop]

I didn't see the other thread. Where is it?

It was the last thread on the first page until your thread bumped it to the first thread of page 2.

[ElviswasaBluesFan]

It was the last thread on the first page until your thread bumped it to the first thread of page 2.

awesome