Top-ranked Des Moines Hoover forfeits all wins for use of ineligible player

Hoover was unbeaten and ranked No. 1, but used an ineligible player through first part of season

Des Moines Hoover, who reached the Class 3A finals last year and is ranked No. 1 this season, was forced to forfeit all eight of its wins after using an ineligible player. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Des Moines Hoover boys soccer team was off to an incredible start to the season. They were unbeaten through the first eight games and sitting as the No. 1 ranked team in Class 3A.

That has all changed overnight, though.

Following an investigation by the school itself, the Huskies self-reported their wrongdoing to the Iowa High School Athletic Association. That brought their record from 8-0-1 to 0-8-1, as they are currently 0-9-1 on the year.

The incident revolves around the use of a refugee from Sudan who is 20 years old and not 19, according to his birth certificate. 

Despite that, all teams in Iowa high school soccer qualify for the postseason, and the Huskies were not ruled ineligible to do so. 

Senior Javier Flores it he leading scorer for Hoover, tallying seven goals with 11 assists. Amisi Bita has 35 saves with six goals allowed in 600 minutes of play.

Last year, the Huskies went 18-3 and had recorded five consecutive seasons with a winning record and at least 11 matches one coming into the season. They advanced to the 3A finals last year, losing to Dallas Center-Grimes, 3-2 in overtime.

KCCI News was first to report the news.