State Title Forfeiture
The 2005 Class A state title resulted in the only forfeiture of a state boys basketball title in Illinois history. The title game resulted in a victory for Chicago's Hales Franciscan High School over Winnebago. It was the second year in a row Winnebago had lost in the final game, and was the second time in three years that Hales Franciscan had won.
Hales Franciscan's basketball team had been at the center of problems for over a year. In 2004, the school had been kicked out of the IHSA state series when recruiting violations had been uncovered.
In November, 2005, the IHSA announced that it was suspending Hales Franciscan's membership in the Association, when it was learned that the school's Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recognition had been lapsed in June, 2003.
In January, 2006, the IHSA announced that due to the lack of recognition (ISBE), Hales Franciscan would forfeit all athletic contests played between June, 2003 and December, 2005, including its 2005 State Championship.
Read more about this topic: Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship
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