Breaking: Los Angeles Cathedral High School's football program placed on probation by CIF-Southern Section

The Phantoms will not be eligible to participate in the playoffs this season but 2023 regular-season games will count

A year after reaching the Southern Section's Division 4 semifinals and finishing 10-3, the football team at Los Angeles Cathedral will not participate in the playoffs in 2023. 

That is after the Southern Section Friday morning announced that due to violations of CIF bylaws, the football program has been placed on probationary status effective immediately. No other sports are affected by the ruling. 

See press release: 

• State CIF and Southern Section by-laws 

Cathedral responded with a release of its own, stating it took immediate action to remedy the issue once it was brought to its attention and it plans to apply for reinstatement to full status in football for the 2024 season. It notes that football games this season will proceed as scheduled in 2023. 

The Phantoms are currently 1-3  after opening the season with a 43-40 win over Garfield. They lost their next three to Millikan (48-34), Gardena Serra (47-14) and Chaminade (31-14). 

They are scheduled to host winless Alemany tonight (Friday, Sept. 15). 

From 2012 to 2018, Cathedral went a combined 67-18, before three straight losing seasons, including 1-8 in 2021. Last season, the Phantoms turned it around with a 10-3 campaign. 

This is a developing story, check back later.