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A CIF State appeal officer upheld the CIF Southern Section’s decision to rule Crean Lutheran football player Jacob Maiava ineligible this season, the student’s attorney said late Thursday afternoon.
Maiava, a senior offensive lineman who is committed to SMU, appealed a decision in late August that found him in violation of pre-enrollment contact rules in his offseason transfer to Crean Lutheran from Santa Margarita.
The pre-enrollment contact centered on Maiava following former Santa Margarita assistant coach Ryan Porter to Crean Lutheran.
“There is prima facie evidence that Jacob’s transfer to Crean Lutheran High was made in whole or in part based on athletic motivation,” CIF State appeal officer Brian Wilbur wrote in his decision.
Wilbur added in his findings that it was “significant” that Crean Lutheran principal Daniel Moyer was “not supporting Jacob Maiava’s eligibility appeal,” according to a communication from the school to the section.
Wilbur wrote that Moyer stated, “We had and have no intention of reaching out to CIF to appeal the decision. We are all on the same page when it comes to recognizing the importance of CIF as a governing body.”
Michael Caspino, the Rancho Santa Margarita-based attorney representing Maiava, said he hopes that a request for a temporary restraining order against CIF will be heard in Orange County Superior Court on Friday afternoon.
Caspino called the request a “long shot.” “It’s David and Goliath,” he said.
Maiava received the results of his appeal at approximately 4:30 p.m., Caspino said. The deadline for notification was Oct. 4 at the latest.
Crean Lutheran plays host to Foothill on Friday night in the teams’ Epsilon League opener.
