VERO BEACH — Florida High School Athletic Association executive director Roger Dearing said Thursday the Indian River County School Board did the prudent thing in ending its lawsuit over the eligibility of the Vero Beach High School girls’ lacrosse team to participate in the 2009 state championship.Dearing, who was the Indian River County School Board Superintendent for 10 years ending in 2003, said even if the county would have been able to make permanent the temporary injunction that allowed the team to continue its quest last year for its fourth straight state title, the organization would have won in the next phase of the hearing. “I am confident we have the case law on our side,” he said. Dearing said the school faced possible expulsion from the organization that monitors and awards state titles in prep sports and as much as $120,000 in total fines, plus lawyers fees if the case had gone forward.In the end the school board settled to give back the 2009 championship trophy won by the Indians and pay $11,000 in fines. The case centered on the reading of a rule that prohibits the number of out-of-state games the girls’ lacrosse team was allowed to play. The school has never disputed that the varsity team did not meet the requirement that it play 60 percent of its 18 regular-season games against in-state opponents. The Indians, which are currently ranked No. 1 in the country by a national lacrosse Web site, contended in order to improve the team needed to top notch opponents from other states. The school’s position was by adding the varsity and junior varsity schedules together, the team met FHSSA rules.Dearing said the 60 percent in-state opponent rule was mandated by the state Legislature when it allowed private schools to join the FHSAA. The concern at the time was private schools would avoid playing a more difficult local schedule and pad their records with easy opponents from elsewhere.The FHSAA director added that Vero Beach coach Shannon Dean had the option of playing more out of state games and seeking national recognition, but that would disqualify the team from participating in FHSAA-sanctioned state championships.”You don’t have to play for a state championship,” he said. “But if you do then you must play 60 percent of your games against FHSAA teams.”Dean has been out of state with his team during Spring Break as they prepare for a fifth-straight championship run starting next Monday.
