The Keystone Youth Football and Cheerleading League is set to hold its championship games on Saturday, and if you ask the parents of Hagerstown’s Mid Varsity team, the Hubs should be there.
Hagerstown rolled into last weekend’s semifinal round with an 8-0 record, having outscored opponents 246-6 in the process. What happened next was predictable: The No. 1-seeded Hubs defeated No. 4 Hamilton by a 33-13 score. Hagerstown’s Mid Varsity, composed of 10- and 11-year-olds, was headed to the finals.
Or so they thought. The KYFCL voted to disqualify the Hubs after their victory.
The reason hasn’t been made clear by the KYFCL, at least publicly. The league’s web and Facebook pages, normally active with updates, have been silent since the disqualification. Scores from last weekend have not been shared, nor have the matchups been announced for Saturday’s championship round, set to be held at Smithsburg.
One possible explanation for the disqualification: The Hubs were reported for “running up” the score. According to the KYFCL bylaws, fines and “other penalties” can be assessed toward teams at the board’s discretion. One team parent told LocalNews1 that Hagerstown has paid $900 in fines to the KYFCL.
Online, Hagerstown’s parents expressed sadness, frustration and anger. Some are still campaigning to get their boys on the field, while others have begun to plan a party celebrating the Hubs’ season.
As it stands this morning, the finals are set to go on without Hagerstown. LocalNews1 will share more information as it becomes available, including scores from the semifinal and championship rounds.