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CIPP Dispute Prompts MARC Playoff Change

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CIPP Dispute Prompts MARC Playoff Change

The Mid-Atlantic Men's DII College playoffs started last week, but they didn't actually happen.

Villanova beat York 40-21, while Lehigh beat Shippensburg 23-3.

But those results have been thrown out. On Saturday morning, York filed a complaint that Shippensburg hadn't CIPP'd (registered with USA Rugby) until the week before the game. This is easily checked and in fact is correct:

Six Shippensburg players were registered on October 18 or later. Three of those players are listed on the MARC website as having played previously for Shippensburg. One of those was registered the day before the one game he is listed for.

However, two players, Chris Armbrust and Carlos Lugo are listed as having played against York on September 21, a month before they were registered with USA Rugby.

Despite this protest, the playoff game against Lehigh was played. But York pursued the protest, supported by Lehigh, because York felt they should have had a different semifinal matchup.

This week, the MARC came down with a ruling. Shippensburg is tossed out of the playoffs. The playoffs have been re-seeded, with Scranton replacing Shippensburg out of the West. After not making the playoffs, Scranton, which has good fields for the playoffs, will host it all.

On Saturday, Lehigh will play York and Villanova plays Scranton. On Sunday the final and 3rd-4th game will be played.

"It hurts us because we played a good game and won and now we start over," said Lehigh Head Coach Rich Sorensen. "But the right thing was done, even if it was late."