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Pulaski, Bay View forfeit 2024 season, receive two-year Wisconsin high school football playoff bans

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•10/20/24•

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Pulaski Rams - Wisconsin high school football
The Rams logo is seen on the back of a Pulaski player during a game against Vincent on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at Pulaski High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (© Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Due to a Milwaukee Public Schools reporting error, the Pulaski Rams and Bay View Redcats must forfeit their 2024 Wisconsin high school football season and face a two-year playoff ban.

According to an Oct. 14 report by CBS 58’s Adam Rife, Pulaski and Bay View will suffer the unfortunate outcome because their district failed to notify the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) regarding the two schools’ conference realignment.

The Rams and the Redcats are members of the Milwaukee City League, which has two divisions: Richardson and Blackbourn. By the end of each season, Blackbourn’s top team and Richardson’s last-place squad switch places.

Despite having the same record as Milwaukee Washington (5-2), Pulaski was the 2023 Blackbourn Division’s top team due to a higher point differential (Pulaski: +90, Washington: +81). Meanwhile, Bay View was the Richardson Division’s worst team, with a 1-6 record.

While the change involved only two teams, the WIAA treats this as a conference realignment requiring documented notification. Unfortunately, the MPS failed to provide official paperwork regarding the swap, which led to forfeiture and the two-year playoff ban.

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Rife wrote that Milwaukee Rec Commissioner Bobbie Kelsey did not respond to requests to get their side. Meanwhile, everyone invested in the two Wisconsin high school football squads has expressed frustration about suffering the consequences of a blunder they did not commit.

In another article by Rife, the MPS tried to save Pulaski and Bay View’s seasons by appealing to the WIAA. However, the case won’t be heard until later in the fall, leaving the two schools with no choice but to accept the decision.

Bay View, Wisconsin’s 378th-ranked team based on the On3 Massey Ratings, finished their campaign with a 52-32 victory over Riverside to avoid a winless season. Pulaski, ranked 324th in the state, had a 44-0 win against Milwaukee Vincent for their third victory this year.