NORTH BERGEN AND BEYOND – A judge ruled Friday in Hudson County Superior Court that there was not enough information to overturn a recent decision to bar the North Bergen Red Raiders heavyweight team from participating in the Hudson County Youth Football League playoffs, according to John Cellini, supervisor of the North Bergen Recreation Department.
The Raiders were the center of controversy after it was alleged that one of their players who had participated in two games was allegedly a Union City resident, Cellini said. (The student, however, attends school in North Bergen and lives with relatives there.)
The league initially decided to penalize the Red Raiders by adding two losses for the two games the student had participated in, Cellini said. Three more games were played without the student, and then a former commissioner, who stepped down roughly two weeks ago, decided to reinstate the student. The student was then allowed to resume playing for North Bergen for the remainder of the season, according to Cellini.
After complaints, however, the Raiders were given losses for each game in which the student participated, which disqualified them for the playoffs.
Some community members are upset with the decision. They said that barring league interference, the team won every game of the season.
What do you think? Leave a comment below or write slamarca@hudsonreporter.com. –Stephen LaMarca