Bishop Montgomery Football Season Canceled Amid CIF Violations
The story coming out of Torrance, California has sent shockwaves through the local high school football community. Bishop Montgomery High School, a small private Catholic school with a proud tradition, has had its entire 2025 varsity football season canceled. The announcement was made directly to the players in a team meeting, and video of that moment has since surfaced.
In the video, Principal Dr. Michele Starkey can be seen reading aloud the list of CIF violations that ultimately led to the decision. Players were told the program had broken rules related to recruiting and financial aid. The violations involved multiple students transferring specifically to play football, and others receiving financial incentives tied to their athletic ability. Those actions are direct violations of CIF bylaws, and the governing body wasted no time in handing down consequences.
The atmosphere in the locker room was heavy. Coaches and staff tried to console players, reminding them that the mistakes were made by adults, not by the young athletes. One voice off-camera told the team, “Don’t hang your heads. You guys are being punished, but it was the adults who let you down.” Another encouraged them not to let this moment define their futures, stressing the value of hard work over handouts.
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The school’s official statement later confirmed that all games would be forfeited and the varsity program suspended for the season. It emphasized that the administration had taken immediate steps to self-report and cooperate with CIF, while acknowledging the deep regret and disappointment felt across the community.
The trouble had actually started before the season began. Back on August 20, five Bishop Montgomery players were ruled ineligible for providing false information during transfers. Sources revealed that 24 football transfers had entered the program, such an unusually high number that CIF’s commissioner personally visited the school—something rarely done in his nearly three decades with the organization.
The controversy deepened when Brett Steigh, a self-proclaimed “Money Man” in the Southern California high school football scene, admitted on a live show that he had personally paid families, sometimes up to $50,000 plus housing, to have athletes join certain programs. He even included Bishop Montgomery among the schools where these payouts took place. His comments added fuel to suspicions that the team’s sudden influx of transfers had been financially influenced.
On the field, things were no calmer. During a preseason game in Hawaii against Saint Louis High, tensions boiled over into a sideline-clearing scuffle. The fight led to suspensions, leaving Bishop Montgomery unable to field enough eligible players for its Week 1 matchup against powerhouse Mater Dei, which had to be forfeited.
What was once anticipated to be a promising season quickly unraveled into chaos, violations, and cancellations. For the players, dreams of showcasing their talent this year were abruptly ended. For the community, it has been a sobering reminder of how off-field decisions can strip away opportunities meant for young athletes. And for Bishop Montgomery football, the road to rebuilding trust and integrity will now be a long one.
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