Armwood High Stripped of Football Title, Fined $12K

The Armwood High football team has been stripped of its 2011 state title and fined more than $12,000 by the Florida High School Athletic Association, TBO.com reports.

The Hawks are also forced to give up their 2010 state runners-up title, and the school has been placed on three years of administrative probation and given an official reprimand from the FHSAA, according to TBO.

The school became embroiled in over the eligibility of several football players. A seven-month FHSAA investigation found that the parents of five football players falsified residency information to get their children into Armwood.

• For a chart of violations noted by the FHSAA, along with Armwood High School Principal Michael Ippolito's responses to those violations, see, Armwood Football On the Line With Lending FHSAA Sanctions.

"The final judgment was sent Tuesday in an 18-page letter to Armwood principal Mike Ippolito by FHSAA Executive Director Roger Dearing," TBO reports.

In , 64 percent said Armwood should be forced to forfeit its season if a player was found ineligible.

Armwood head coach he was taking the controversy in stride and was focused on making another state title run in 2012.

The Hawks finished , beating Miami Central 40-31 in Orlando.

The high school can appeal Tuesday's decision, but as TBO reports, since Ippolito responded to the charges by agreeing with all but one of the 17 violations outlined in FHSAA's preliminary report, "that's not likely." Parents of the five players mentioned can appeal or file a lawsuit against the FHSAA on their own.

Read more about Tuesday's findings in TBO.com's story and check back with Patch for more coverage.