Iowa school cancels remainder of boys soccer season after incident

Keokuk High School cancels remainder of boys soccer season following game filled with red cards

Soccer generic USA / Courtesy photo

The Keokuk High School boys soccer season is officially over following just three games. The school’s superintendent, Kathy Dinger, made the decision following a notice given by the Iowa High School Athletic Association and review by officials.

According to a report by Mississippi Valley Publishing, the match in question was a 9-2 loss by the Chiefs against Central Lee back on April 7. In the contest, Keokuk was given four red cards for excessive play, which automatically prompts a review by the IHSAA.

The IHSAA rule states that a team is barred from postseason play for accumulating four red cards over the course of an entire season, but the team does not need to be suspended from competing.

“We hold our students and athletes to a high standard of conduct,” KCSD activities director Zach Summers said. “And those standards were not met this week.”

The head coach for Keokuk, Curt Dial, stated he was surprised by the decision made.

“I was not consulted nor contacted prior to this decision being made and a letter going out to the parents,” he said. “I was somewhat confused as to how our team could be suspended by the state without our school receiving any written notification as to what rules we had violated.”

Dial was among those who received a red card during the contest along with three of them going to captains for Keokuk. A fourth captain received a yellow card. 

This is the second time in three seasons Keokuk has been barred from postseason play. They received five red cards two years ago under then-head coach Austin Berquam.

Dial stated he would resign “if that is what it takes to keep the season,” adding that he does not expect to return to the team.

The Chiefs won their opener, 3-2 over Danville, and lost to Mediapolis, 3-1. In 2017 and ‘18 they won 11 games, but have just 11 victories total since.