Bellarmine Forfeits All Six Wins Over Ineligible Player
The Central Coast Section ruled the San Jose school must forfeit wins after using a transfer student-athlete who was deemed ineligible.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football
The Central Coast Section ruled that Bellarmine must forfeit all six of its wins after using an ineligible transfer student-athlete. The ruling drops the team's record from 6-3 to 0-9 overall and ends its hopes of a playoff appearance.
Why it matters
The forfeits dash Bellarmine's first CCS playoff trip since 2022 and could reshape playoff pairings across the section. Bellarmine principal Rod Jemison says the school will pursue legal avenues to overturn the decision.
The official CCS ruling strips Bellarmine of six wins, dropping its record from 6-3 to 0-9 overall and from 3-3 to 0-6 in WCAL play. Whether the school's planned legal challenge will succeed in restoring those wins has not been determined.
The players
Bellarmine College Preparatory
A Catholic boys' high school in San Jose that competes in the West Catholic Athletic League and has won multiple CCS championships.
Rod Jemison
Principal of Bellarmine College Preparatory who said the school will pursue legal avenues to overturn the forfeits.
Mike Janda
Longtime Bellarmine football coach with 284 career wins who led the program to eight section championships.
The details
CCS commissioner ruled that a transfer student-athlete was ineligible, and all games he played in are retroactively forfeited. Bellarmine had not won a WCAL game in the previous two seasons, and its last WCAL title came in 2015.
Timeline
2015: Bellarmine's last WCAL title.
2022: Bellarmine's last CCS playoff appearance.
Nov. 4, 2026: CCS forfeit ruling reported.
Saturday: Bellarmine scheduled to play at Riordan.
Season Trajectory
The CCS by-laws on transfer eligibility have now been applied retroactively to wipe out a full season's wins for a Division 1 program. If upheld, the ruling would reshape playoff seeding as Sacred Heart Cathedral, Valley Christian, Mitty and Palo Alto gain positioning.
The forfeits change the standings and playoff pairings for every West Catholic Athletic League and CCS Division 1 team that competed against Bellarmine. Fantasy and bracket watchers should recheck records, since the 0-9 mark removes all six earlier wins.
The takeaway
Eligibility rules for transfer students can reverse a season's results after games are played, so schools should verify eligibility before fielding players. Bellarmine's legal challenge will test whether such retroactive forfeitures can be overturned.
What happens next
Bellarmine's scheduled game at Riordan on Saturday is the next confirmed event, and the outcome of the school's legal challenge to the forfeits is pending.
Further reading
Explore more Football coverage tied to San Jose high school sports.
