EL CERRITO, Calif. (KGO) — Students at an East Bay High School are outraged after the principal announced Friday that six football games would be forfeited due to ineligible players.

The El Cerrito High School varsity football team is the squad in question. On Monday, students and players led a walkout. They chanted “Gauchos, Gauchos, Gauchos…” which is the school mascot.

Parents and students are furious.

“The only thing the football team is asking for now is fairness. If you guys feel that these accusations are true, show us! Show us!” said Jonniesha Reed, whose son is on the football team.

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El Cerrito High School Principal Malcolm Norrington sent out a letter to parents last Friday saying,

“It was discovered that ineligible players participated in varsity football games during the 2024-2025 fall season. As a result of this violation, El Cerrito High School is forfeiting all games in which the ineligible players participated.”

Norrington also went on to say, “The issue originated from a prior CIF/NCS bylaw 202 ruling regarding student ineligibility, which prompted a comprehensive review of the current varsity football roster. Upon review, it was determined that certain players were ineligible to participate in the games listed above.”

So now the team is 1-6 instead of 6-1.

While the district hasn’t publicly said why they were ineligible, a source tells ABC7 News that some players lived outside the district and in at least one case fake documentation to enroll in school was given.

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While the team still has three games left, this decision could mean no playoffs and an early end to the season.

“When you talk about 12th grade, seniors who may have interests in colleges that’s coming to the school to see them play,” community advocate Rodney Alamo Brown said. “If the season is shortened do the interests still remain? Or do they go elsewhere looking for student athletes? I don’t know.”

The head football coach is currently under suspension for football but currently teaching at the school. Parents want him back on the field and are now calling for the principal to be dismissed.

“At this point, we would like to see him leave peacefully,” Reed said. “We need a principal at El Cerrito High School that is going to be for our children. So do us a favor and show us proof that we don’t deserve to be here and if the proof is shown in the pudding, we’ll take our losses and go about our business.”

ABC7 News has reached out to the West Contra Costa Unified School District about this matter, but it has not yet responded.