iStockphoto
A high school program in the state of California has cancelled an upcoming game due to its depleted roster. The school does not have enough healthy players to compete.
Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance is forfeiting its upcoming football matchup with Mater Dei. Controversy continues to follow the team in 2025.
Mater Dei has canceled renting Santa Ana Stadium on Friday. That means no Mater Dei-Bishop Montgomery football game.
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) August 25, 2025
The news comes just days before the previously schedule contest. A thin lineup is to blame.
Bishop Montgomery football has issues.
Prior to its season opener, the program was struck by an eligibility scandal that resulted in five players’ removal from the roster.
The team was accused of falsifying paperwork regarding transfer students. The California Interscholastic Federation punished the school after an investigation over a Bylaw 202 violation.
B. Penalty for Providing Incorrect, Inaccurate, Incomplete or False Information
“If it is discovered that any parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver or student has provided incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or false information in regards to any aspect of eligibility status on behalf of a student, that student is subject to immediate ineligibility for CIF competition at any level in any sport for a period of up to 24 calendar months from the date the determination was made that incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete or false information was provided.”
As a result, the team was forced to play its first game shorthanded. It eventually fell to Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis, 34-27.
Further punishment for the fake paperwork is possible. Sports Illustrated claims that upwards of 20 transfer players are at risk of being banned.
While the eligibility ruling was unfortunate, Bishop Montgomery was expected to continue playing its football season as scheduled.
A brawl added another wrinkle.
A number of players were suspended after the first game due to a “sideline-clearing altercation.” In the final moments of the loss to St. Louis, chaos unfolded.
More from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:
Tempers flared near the Saint Louis sideline. After some shoving, a Saint Louis player on the sideline ran three steps onto the field and backpedaled, triggering a penalty flag.
Then, a Saint Louis player yanked the helmet off a Bishop Montgomery player and both teams began to empty the benches into and ran to the hashmarks. Coaches on both sides berated each other at midfield.
The game was called as a result of the scuffle. Bishop Montgomery has since handed down punishment to some of its players.
St. Louis seems to have been the aggressor, but coach Tupu Alualu says it was a moment that was building throughout the contest.
“They’re poor sports, hitting our guys (on the sideline),” he said after the win. “Their coaches were chirping and hitting our guys (during the game).”
He claims that Bishop Montgomery’s football team instigated. His team reacted.
Either way, the Knights will not be able to play in their second game of the season. It will be an interesting storyline to follow throughout the remainder of the year.