Ipswich High School’s undefeated boys’ lacrosse team is forced to forfeit its state semifinal after school officials determine nine players are ineligible following a graduation-related photograph. According to reporting, the team’s postseason run ends amid controversy over a celebratory image taken around graduation, which appears to show players holding cigars. The items are described by outlets as “fake” or not legitimate cigars, but the school’s review results in disciplinary action for the affected players.
As a result, the team is ruled ineligible to compete in the state semifinal. One outlet characterizes the incident as leading to parents and community members in Ipswich expressing anger at the outcome and the decision to end the season. The reports focus on the eligibility findings and the forfeiture rather than on additional athletic or disciplinary circumstances. The situation centers on how the photo was interpreted and what rules school authorities applied when deciding the players’ eligibility for postseason competition.
