Laurier’s football team is still waiting to hear an ineligibility decision that could cost Laurier their victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues earlier this season.

Following that game, it became known that Canadian Interuniversity Sport was filing an investigation into the eligibility of one of Laurier’s players, defensive end Dave Montoya.

Montoya has had a successful football career at Laurier, playing for four years before this current season. The catch, though, is that he played his fourth year back in 2006, and has not attended Laurier since, becoming a teacher at Bishop Reding High School in Milton.

Under CIS rules, a player is entitled to five years of eligibility. A new rule introduced for this season, however, states that a player must complete those five years of play in the first seven years after graduating from high school.

As a result, CIS is investigating the eligibility of Montoya, which could force Laurier to forfeit their victory over Toronto, as well as their games against Western and McMaster, but those were both losses.

Montoya has not dressed since, meaning that the Hawks wins over York and Guelph are safe.
The decision has been anticipated for weeks, but no official ruling has been made.

After the investigation was launched, Laurier filed a compassionate appeal on Montoya’s behalf, stating that he originally registered for school in January and the rule did not come into effect until June.

Should the decision come down against Laurier, and they are forced to forfeit their win over the Varsity Blues, the playoff picture changes dramatically for the team.

Laurier would fall to 2-4 on the season, while Toronto would leapfrog them as their record would change to 3-3.

That would put the Golden Hawks in a tie for the final playoff position with Windsor, with just two games left in the regular season, one of which is actually against the Lancers.